Rebel Blues
by CastleRockGirl
Summary: Jesse is no princess or saint, rebelling against authority and doing as she pleased were always things she prided herself on. So what happens when she meets a group of troublemakers that do the same? Will she find some fun in this town? Or will getting involved with The Cobras be the biggest mistake she ever made?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:**** Hello! This is my first ever Stand By Me story, I probably wouldn't be even thinking about publishing a Stand By Me story if it wasn't for Mrs. Ace Merrill who convinced me to do one, helped me with all the ideas that I had and gave me some amazing ones to put in, not to mention giving great feedback and encouragement, so I owe her a huuuuuuge THANK YOU! Hopefully I can do our awesome ideas justice in this story. This chapter is just more or less an introduction to the OC I created and to start the story off. I'll be updating this every Friday, I should have plenty of time during the week and on Friday to write it but in the worst case scenario I imagine it would then be Saturday, but I'll try to stick to Fridays. So anyway, thanks to Mrs. Ace Merrill and hopefully people like the first chapter! Please leave a review and let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Stand By Me, just my OCs.**

* * *

I stared out the window in disdain as we drove through Castle Rock, the word "dull" couldn't even begin to describe this place. Everything was bland, the buildings, the people, they all seemed like someone had drained the colour out of this place. Living in California already seemed like a distant dream, I gave it a week tops before I put a gun to my head out of sheer boredom.

We eventually arrived on a road with houses too cheery for me to live in. Boxes of flowers sat on the windows, neatly trimmed hedges sat pretty in the front yard and the white picket fences may as well have been prison bars to me.

"We're here!" Aunt Emily said in a bright tone I was already sick of. I glared at the house for a few seconds before throwing my door open and climbing out of the car. I made my way around to the trunk where Uncle Richard was lifting my bags out of.

''That's alright, kiddo. You head inside and I'll get these." He said in a similar bright tone but anyone could sense he wasn't exactly giving me a choice, more like a polite order. Let us not forget Uncle Richard served in WWII, he has apparently earned the right to boss me around like one of his men.

"It's Jesse, not kiddo. I can get my own bags." I said and bent down to pick them up, turning on my heel and heading for the house before he could protest.

"This is the hallway, through there is the kitchen. Over there is the dining room and through that door is the living room. Now, how about we go see your room? Richard! Did you not take Jessica's bags in for her?" Aunt Emily asked with a worried look towards the bag I had over my shoulder and the other in my hand.

"I told him I got them. And it's Jesse, not Jessica." I said in as calm a voice as I could manage, not even my parents called me Jessica.

Aunt Emily merely nodded with a polite smile on her face. She was the epitome of a little nifty housewife. Her sausage curls framed her subtly made-up face. Her modest polka-dot dress reached past her knees and her glasses hung from a delicate chain around her neck. She had aged gracefully, I will give her that. She had subtle signs of crow's feet appearing at the corners of her eyes and I had no doubt she fretted over them constantly.

Uncle Richard was clearly everything a woman like my Aunt would have looked for in a man, strong and commanding but I noticed his smile softened when he looked at her, his eyes trailing over her face like she was still the twenty-year-old beauty he fell in love with. I already felt out of place with them, my somewhat rebellious nature would surely clash with their conservative one, I could see now it would only be a matter of time before they would regret taking me in.

"So," Uncle Richard said with a clap of his hands, "shall we show Jessica to her room?" He said and I fixed him with a glare over the name mistake.

"Oh, yes! You will love it, Jessica! I've been preparing it ever since we found out you were coming!" Aunt Emily said gleefully, clapping her delicate hands together before waving one at me in the direction of the stairs, she danced up them and I cast a worried glance towards Richard who merely shrugged.

"She's been like an excited puppy since she's found out you were coming."

"She's peed on the carpet and ripped up the sofa cushions?" I asked with a raised eyebrow and he chuckled.

"Nah, kiddo. Excited to finally have a little girl around the house." He said with a wistful smile.

"Do I look like a little girl to you?" I asked incredulously and he rolled his eyes.

"You've been here five minutes, Jessica. Don't start causing trouble." He said in a tired voice.

"Jesse." I hissed and turned on my heel to storm up the stairs, I heard him sigh before following me. Here goes nothing.

Oh… shit. This place looks like it's been hosed down with Pepto Bismol. _Everything_ is pink!

"What do you think?" Emily asked and spread her arms to indicate the room. She was obviously too happy to notice the horrified expression on my face at the fact that almost everything was the most obnoxious shades of pink. The bed had about ten little pink pillows on top of a white bedspread with pink roses. A little pink teddy bear sat in the middle and its glassy black eyes stared back at me. The drawers, beside table, wardrobe and dressing table were all white wood. The drawers had a little china vase with pink roses sitting in it, a little pink trinket box lay beside them. The dressing table had a matching white stool with a pink cushion. Bottles of perfume sat in front of the three mirrors and a box I didn't even want to open sat over to one side. I am in hell.

"It's… um… it's… pink." I said for lack of a better description, somehow I didn't think she'd appreciate me telling her the place gave me a migraine.

"You don't like it!" she said with a fearful expression, her wide brown eyes looked distressed with the possibility that I'm not in love with a room that is like walking into my worst nightmare.

"Now come on, Emily, the girl probably just needed a minute to look at everything. You like it, don't you Jessica?" Richard said with his arm around my shoulder, the gentle squeeze gave me the feeling it would be better to smile and lie through my teeth.

"Sure. It's great." I said with my best attempt at a smile, "Thanks, Aunt Emily." I said and she threw her arms around me for about the third time since I arrived, her perfume making my eyes water.

"It's no problem Jessica." She said and I guessed Jesse just wouldn't catch on with her.

"Told you she'd like it." Richard said triumphantly and patted my head, I resisted the urge to glare at him as Emily pulled back to smile at me.

"Well I'm glad, it was either this or lavender but I figured a young lady like yourself might like something delicate and feminine." She said, I wonder if my Chuck Taylors, ripped jeans and grey t-shirt gave me away. "Well you're bound to be hungry! I'll bring you some cookies and milk and we can unpack your stuff!" she said and skipped off before I could say a word, pecking Richard on the cheek as she practically skipped downstairs.

"Thanks for the save, kiddo. Just let her have her fun, she's always wanted a daughter like you." He said with a sad smile before closing the door. I sat down on the bed, _my_ bed, and sighed. It was a widely known fact Richard and Emily had always wanted kids, a doctor told them when Richard came home from the war that children weren't possible for some unknown reason. I remember always getting amazing gifts from them for Christmas or my birthday, although as I got older I became less and less fond of the teddy bears and make-up I got. Still, I suppose there are worse things that could happen than staying with two people who you at least know would notice you, I should be thankful for that.

I stand corrected, I should kill Emily.

I stared at the dresses and skirts that filled my wardrobe, touching the soft fabrics as if they would turn out to be some mirage that decided to taunt me. But no, they were all real. I walked to the drawers and pulled out each one, pastel coloured shirts and jeans, cardigans, god-awful nightdresses and frilly underwear laughed back at me as I stared at them in disbelief. I took a few steps back to survey the horror that lay before me. At the bottom of the wardrobe lay sandals, white plimsolls and ballet pumps. I leaned down to pick up a pair and saw they were my exact shoe size. What the fuck?

"Do you like them?" Emily asked from behind me as she crossed the room to set a tray of cookies and milk on my bed.

"These are mine?" I asked in a high-pitched squeak.

"Well of course they are, silly! I found out your shoe size and clothes sizes a while back and thought you might like some nice changes." She straightened the hangers up from where I had knocked them slightly out of place in the hopes they would disappear.

"But what's wrong with what I'm wearing?" I asked and she gave me a once-over with an awkward smile.

"Nothing, sweetie. I just thought you might want a change, perhaps it's time you start dressing like a proper young lady. Those clothes were fine when you were younger and running around playing, but now that you're older you should dress more mature. We wouldn't want all the handsome men around here thinking you're a tomboy, would we?" she said with a smile.

"I don't really care what anyone around here thinks of me." I said with a clenched jaw and she sighed.

"Give the clothes a try, Jessica. I think you'll find they suit you better now that you're living here. And I even got you some nice bands to keep your hair out of your face and some make-up to emphasise those beautiful features of yours." She said and opened the box on my dressing table and I saw soft beige and pink powers for my face. I went and sat on my bed with a huff; Emily came over and brushed some hair away from my eyes.

"Don't be difficult, dear. Richard and I only want to help you become a proper lady." She said and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead before smiling and walking out of the room. I stared at the cookies and milk which sat on a pristine, white tray, a little frilly circle under the china plate with the cookies. My stomach growled as I tried to resist the treats and I ultimately gave up and decided to eat them. I stood up and crossed to my window, staring out onto the quiet neighbourhood, suddenly feeling like I may just lose my sanity before I can escape from Castle Rock.

* * *

Alright, the bed might be ugly as hell, but it sure is comfy. Sunlight streamed through the window as I buried my head under a pillow to try and catch a few more minutes of sleep.

"Rise and shine kiddo!" a cheerful voice called from the bottom of the stairs. Guess sleeping in is out of the question. I groaned and leaned up on my elbow to grab my watch from the dressing table, laying back down when I realised I had genuine proof my uncle was insane if he thought eight o'clock on a Sunday was a reasonable time for a teenager to wake up at.

A couple of minutes later I was just on the verge of sleep when my door opened.

"Jessica! Breakfast is ready, didn't you hear me calling you?" Richard asked as he walked over to my bed. I threw the covers off the bed and rubbed my eyes.

"It's eight o'clock on a Sunday, I don't get up until noon on a Sunday." I said through a yawn.

"Not in this house, Emily made porridge for you." I practically gagged at the thought of porridge. Richard left me alone and I slid my feet into my slippers before I slouched down the stairs.

"Jessica, I had plenty of nightdresses in your drawers, why are you wearing that?" Emily said and I looked down to see I had checked pyjama bottoms on and a white t-shirt, what the hell was wrong with that?

"I normally wear this to bed." I said with a shrug as I made my way over to the table.

"Well now you have some lovely night dresses to wear, you don't have to wear those things anymore." She said with a smile as she set a bowl of lumpy porridge in front of me.

"I prefer these, if there's a fire or some psycho breaks into the house, I don't want to die because I tripped over my stupid fucking nightgown." I said and Uncle Richard's fork hit the plate with a clatter as he pointed at me.

"I don't ever want to hear that type of language in my house again! Do you understand me, Jessica?" he demanded.

"Sir yes sir." I said with a bite of sarcasm and he glared before resuming his breakfast.

"Where do you guys keep the sugar? I don't take porridge without sugar." I said, I didn't take porridge at all for that matter, but I was hungry.

"You can have sugar on your porridge when you apologize to your aunt. Not a minute sooner." Uncle Richard said and I raised my eyebrows, I pushed my bowl away from me slowly and folded my arms. Richard and I had a bit of a stare-down for a few seconds before Emily put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright, Richard. Jessica probably isn't used to speaking like a lady, soon enough she will. Isn't that right, Jessica?" she asked me and nodded her head, as though she had power over what I said.

"If you think I'm going to prance around in frilly little nightdresses and do whatever you say, you are very wrong." I said through clenched teeth.

"Seems to me you don't really have a choice." Richard said and I glared at him, asshole just had to pull that one.

"You're right. If I did I sure as hell wouldn't be here."

"Well you are. You're here for the long haul. I suggest rather than acting like a brat you try to be grateful for the fact we are taking you in out of the goodness of our hearts." He said.

"You're taking me in because no one else wants me and you can't have kids of your own." I spat.

"Can you really blame people for not wanting to take you in when you act like this? The sooner you realise this little rebel act is fooling anyone and that all you're doing is destroying your life, the better off you'll be." He said and I dragged my bowl back towards me, lifting the spoon and letting the lumpy porridge fall into the bowl again, eyeing it with disgust. I let the spoon fall back into the bowl and my chair legs scraped the floor as I flung myself away from the table and marched upstairs.

"Jessica, get dressed! We have to go to the store!" Aunt Emily called after me.

"I'm not going to the damn store!" I called back and slammed my door, flopping onto my bed.

* * *

A while later the door to my room opened and Emily peeked in, frowning slightly at me as I stared at her from my bed.

"Why aren't you dressed for going to the store?" she asked and I sat up, my eyebrows knitted together, was she deaf or something?

"Did you not hear me earlier? I'm not going to the store."

"Well I think you need some fresh air. Obviously you are stressed from the move." She said. I waved an arm towards my open window.

"I have all the fresh air I need, thanks. And I'm not stressed from the move, I'm stressed because my aunt and uncle think they have some right to change who I am." I accused and she sighed.

"Nonsense, Jessica. This," She waved towards me, "is all just a little phase you're going through. You just need a fresh start and a new look and this whole rebellious streak will be over. I'll pick you out something nice to wear." She said brightly and walked over to my drawers. She lifted out my t-shirts and jeans that I had stuffed in last night and held them out my two fingers, like she would catch a disease.

"What on earth are these things doing in your drawers?" she asked.

"Those are my clothes. I wear them." I said with deliberate slowness.

"Not anymore." She said and lifted them out, throwing them over her shoulder. She set some light lemon trousers on my lap and a white shirt with short, puffy sleeves.

"You'll wear these. Now come along, your uncle is going to give us a lift to the store and take us home, he doesn't like to be kept waiting." She said and set a pair of while plimsolls on the floor in front of me and went to the dresser, returning with a lemon headband.

"This will keep those ratty tails out of your face until we can get your hair cut." She said and at that she finally left me alone, taking my clothes with her. I glared at the clothes on my lap for a few minutes until the car outside honked impatiently. I threw the clothes on and left the hairband on my dresser, running a hand through my shoulder-length chestnut hair before trudging down the stairs and out to the car.

* * *

"Jessica, tuck your shirt in! It's not proper to have your shirt hanging out like that." Emily scolded as I got out of the car. I rolled my eyes and ignored her as we headed into the store. Which is a pathetic store; there are little tiny isles and hardly any variety.

I dragged my feet down the aisles after Emily, I blocked out her bubbly chatter about what she was making for dinner. I finally made it to where the drinks were and grabbed a root beer of the shelf, I was about to put it in the cart when Emily seized it.

"I don't think so. We don't want those pearly white teeth destroyed by these sugary drinks." She tutted disapprovingly.

"Please? I'm thirsty. Just this once." I attempted whining hoping it would work. Sure enough she smiled slightly after a moment.

"Just this once." She said and waggled her finger at me. I smiled falsely and she returned a genuine one before going to the counter.

We had only just exited the store when Emily gasped.

"Oh dear!" she said and I peered around the paper bag in my arms to see Richard with a boy a few years younger than me. He had blonde hair and thick glasses, blood oozed from his nose and he whipped it on his khaki shirt which had dog tags hanging from a chain on his neck. I smiled slightly, thinking he looked like a mini-solider.

"I'm going to drive Teddy home before we head back. Caught that local gang of hooligans bothering him, I gave them an earful and they left Teddy alone but I'm gonna make sure he gets home alright before we head back to the house." He said.

"No, really sir, it's fine." The boy, Teddy apparently, insisted but Richard patted his shoulder.

"Nonsense. It's no trouble." Richard said and opened the door of the car for Teddy to climb in the back. He turned to grab the bag off me and set it in the trunk, I followed him and plucked the root beer from the bag and headed back around to slide in beside Teddy.

"Here," I said and handed him the root beer, "you look like you need something stronger, but this'll have to do." I shrugged and he smiled.

"Thanks, I'm Teddy by the way. Teddy Duchamp." He said and held out his hand.

"Jesse Michelson." I said and gave his hand a firm shake.

"Have you introduced yourself to Teddy, Jessica?" Emily asked as she got into the front passenger seat.

"Nope I just stared at him." I said and Teddy chuckled.

"Don't be rude. Teddy this is Jessica." Emily said and Teddy nodded.

"Yeah she told me." He said.

"I thought you said you didn't introduce yourself, Jessica?" Emily asked in confusion and I rolled my eyes.

"I was joking. And I didn't introduce myself as Jessica, I used my actual name which is Jesse." I said pointedly.

"Jesse is a boy's name." Emily sighed as Richard started the car.

"Jesse is a nickname, like Teddy. You have no problem calling Teddy by his nickname even though it's a type of bear. Why can't you call me by my nickname?" I asked.

"Because your full name suits you better." She insisted.

"I disagree completely. In fact-"

"Enough!" Richard cut me off sharply and I glared at him in the rear-view mirror. Soon enough we arrived at Teddy's and he held the rest of the root beer out to me.

"Keep it." I said.

"Thanks. Thanks for the ride, sir." He said to Richard.

"No problem, Teddy." My uncle said and with that Teddy shut the door and went to his house.

"He's a nice boy." Emily said fondly.

"Sure is. Pity his dad is the way he is." Richard said with regret.

"What way is his dad?" I asked.

"His father was in the war, like me. We were in basic together and became very good friends. Unfortunately not everyone is equipped to deal with the stress of war; his father has become unstable in the past few years, he's now in Togus, it's a mental institution for veterans." Wow, poor Teddy.

"It was good of you saving him from that gang, dear." Emily said.

"Well I'd hate to see a nice young kid get beat up by a bunch of thugs." Richard spat the words.

"What did you say to them?" I asked tiredly, knowing Richard, he made it worse.

"I told them that they ought to find better things to do with their time and that beating up kids is not a valuable way to spend one's life. I think they'll think twice the next time they target a boy like Teddy." He said with a proud smile.

"Either that or you've just made it worse and they'll target Teddy even more because they now have proof he needs an adult to protect him rather than stand up for himself." I said and Richard glanced at me in the rear-view mirror.

"I don't think so." He said.

I do.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:**** Here is chapter two of Rebel Blues! Thanks to anyone who reviewed, followed and favourited the story, much appreciated! Also to anyone who does review if you have a profile I'll PM you a thank you, if you're a guest I'll post it in the author's note :). So I'm quite proud of this chapter, I'm trying to make the chapters quite long and have some exciting stuff happen, hopefully people like this chapter! Anyway, hope you enjoy and please review! :D**

**Claireybear:**** Thank you so much for finding the story :) and I'm glad you like it so far! Hopefully it continues to be good :D**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Stand By Me, I only own my OCs.**

* * *

When we came home and all the groceries were put away, I went out to the garden for some peace and freaking quiet. If Aunt Emily tried to tell me one more thing she could cook that would use up the chicken she had bought, I was going to strangle someone. The garden was annoyingly perfect. A little swing-seat hung delicately on the front porch; I sat swinging gently as I looked around me. The hedges in front of the porch hadn't a leaf out of place, some had roses and others were just plain, of course it was in a pattern; plain, rose, plain, rose, plain… and yes, some rose. The grass was perfectly trimmed and was lush and green. A white picket fence lined the flawless little spot of heaven, a mailbox with Johnson written on it sat straight on the right of the gap in the fence that you walked out of.

I sighed as I realised things here would probably be very boring, it would only be a matter of time before I became institutionalised and just conformed to this nightmare. Dressing like some prissy little darling, speaking like I'm off a cereal commercial and talking about the neighbours like the colour they painted their house was the most important thing _ever_. I shuddered as I faced the possibility that sooner or later I'd just give up, I was obviously never going to escape this place. Richard and Emily had their minds set that they could stop my little rebel act and make me into a proper young woman. Maybe I would let them; there was nothing here worth rebelling in order to fight for.

I was broken out of my trance by the sound of a car engine approaching. Fast. I stood up to see a car racing down the road, the top down. Four guys sat inside, but they were flying too quickly for me to get a good look. Suddenly the guy in the passenger seat stood up, a blonde, and I watched as he swung a bat and the mailbox and sent it flying into the air. I was caught between staring open-mouthed and laughing as he and his friends whisked right on by and down the road, the light blue of the car disappearing around the corner.

I made my way down to where the mailbox lay in a heap; the letters it was holding from this morning's post were strewn across the ground. The mailbox had a dent in it as it lay on the ground, the wooden post it was nailed to tilted a little. I bent down to pick up the letters and stood to come face to face with Richard.

"What on earth happened to the mailbox?" he asked and I let a chuckle slip.

"You think this is funny?" he asked and I made my face serious again.

"Uh, no. A few guys knocked it down about a minute ago." I said.

"I never heard a car." He said and I stared at him in disbelief.

"You think I did this?"

"Well after the foul language you displayed this morning and the fact you have been known in the past to let your anger get the better of you, I wouldn't doubt destroying property is too wild an accusation to make." He said and I narrowed my eyes.

"Why the hell would I trash a mailbox of all things?"

"You tell me. Perhaps you're not too pleased that finally you're living somewhere where the people won't tolerate how you act. Maybe you're upset about your parents. Maybe you just felt like it. I don't care why you did it, but you're fixing it. Nails and hammer are in a toolbox under the sink." He said in a low voice and left me standing there, jaw practically on the grass as I stared furiously at the back of his head. Those guys are fucking dead if I ever find out who they are.

I eventually got the mailbox somewhat fixed, it wasn't anything like it looked before, but at least it was something- considering I didn't do anything to it in the first place. I got the dent in the box out with a hammer and managed to get it back on the stand once I had righted it again. I wiped the sweat off my brow when I was done, packed the toolbox away and lifted it to carry it back into the house, thankful to be out of the sun.

I was about to slam the door when I got through it for emphasis on the injustice of the whole situation, but as the conversation between my aunt and uncle drifted out to me I stood with the doorknob still in my grasp and listened.

"I don't think taking her in at such a fragile time was a good thing. For her or for us." Richard said.

"She needed us, Richard, she had no where else to go. Everyone heard about her and suddenly every door was slamming in her face. If it wasn't for us, who knows where she'd be?" Aunt Emily defended, she may be a pain in the ass but she seemed nice and already a little protective over me.

"I'm just worried that she'll keep acting this way and land herself in trouble one day. It'll be us they'll hold responsible." Richard said.

"This is a tough time for her, Richard, think of what she's had to deal with this past month. She had to leave everything she knew and loved behind to have to start over somewhere else. No one would take her in, we're her last chance. Take it easy on her, please?" My aunt begged and Richard sighed in defeat.

"I suppose we can give her the benefit of the doubt, poor kid, she probably has done nothing but blame herself since it happened." He said and I bit my lip as a pang of guilt ran through my stomach, did I blame myself? Should I?

Before I could even begin to try and answer those questions I shut the door and walked into the kitchen, Richard and Emily stared at me as if trying to decipher whether or not I had heard anything, I put the toolbox under the sink and went to walk into the hall to escape to my fortress of pink when my Uncle's voice stopped me.

"Jessica?" He said and I sighed slightly at the fact he still insisted on calling me that, I turned back to see him smile awkwardly, "Thank you for fixing the mailbox." He said and I found myself wanting to smile back, wanting to give some sort of reply that seemed nice, instead I just nodded my head before continuing upstairs.

I sat on my bed with my knees huddled to my chest, I had given up long ago on trying to deal with what happened, as far as I was concerned sometimes people drew the short straw. Sometimes things happen and it's someone's fault, other times it's no one's fault and no one can ever really assign blame to anyone. The only problem was I knew if I thought about it long enough I would convince myself that I was to blame, that everyone else probably thought the same and that's why no one would take me. That as long as I'm here there'll always be someone who knows what happened. Hell, it'll only be a matter of time before Emily spills the beans to one of her friends who tells another friend and soon the whole town will know. Some will pity me, others will blame me. But they don't know me; they don't know what I went through. I don't ask that I get some sort of excuse from everything that happened in light of what my life was like, but I do ask that I'm left alone to deal with it in my own way and move on.

I just want to move on, that's all I ask.

* * *

The next morning I was being forced out of bed again, this time Aunt Emily wanted to show me around town. I didn't know why she wanted to show me around a town that had probably about five shops in it, but anyway, here I was on my way into town. My latest attempt to try and wear something normal had failed and I was in a light blue summer dress with white pumps and a cardigan over my shoulders. Aunt Emily actually tied my hair up and it left my face feeling exposed. I had refused make-up, apparently she was sure I'd "come round to it", don't count on it.

Half an hour later and she had basically shown me everything Castle Rock had to offer, ignoring the placed I might actually want to go, bars and such were passed by as if they didn't exist, but I remembered where they all were. Just in case.

Aunt Emily had been talking to a woman for about twenty minutes about a bunch of stuff I could never see myself giving a shit about. I was staring into space beside her when loud laughter drew my attention towards a group of guys across the street, I had an odd sense I had seen them somewhere before. Then it clicked. These were the four assholes that had knocked over the mailbox I had gotten the blame for.

Before I hardly even realised what I was doing I had crossed the street and had come up behind them, patting the blonde on the shoulder. He and his friends stopped and he turned around with a cigarette between his lips, which stretched into a smirk as he took in my no-doubt hilarious ensemble.

"What can I do you for, sweetheart?" he asked and his friends sniggered as he let his eyes trail down the length of my figure. I waited until his eyes met mine again, and tried to ignore how striking they were.

"Next time you're gonna trash someone's mailbox, at least have the balls to let them know it was you." I spat and he raised an eyebrow.

"Trashing a mailbox? I don't recall doing such a foolish thing. Would you believe I would ever do such a delinquent thing, Eyeball?" he said and turned to a guy on his right that was grinning, he had curly brown hair and a cigarette behind his ear.

"Of course not, Ace. That is the destruction of property which I believe is very harmful to the society we live in. I personally am insulted our young friend believes we would waste our time with such behaviour." He said, the smile never leaving his face. I narrowed my eyes at him and he winked at me, I looked back to the blonde who was also grinning, his handsome face somehow managing to annoy me further.

"Well there you go. I hope this clears up any confusion you have." He said.

"Fuck you, asshole. I got the blame for your stupid prank, the least you could do when pulling such mediocre shit like that is let people know it's you, or else you're just a bunch of cowards." I spat, his friends chuckled.

"Someone's feisty. What's wrong, princess? You chip a nail while fixing your mailbox? Mr Johnson send you to bed without supper?" another guy taunted and I smirked.

"Interesting how you guys don't waste your time with such delinquent behaviour, yet you know which house I'm talking about." I said and the grin slid off his face and he stared at the blonde who still managed to maintain a smirk.

"Well I'll hand it to ya, you're smart. What's your name?" he asked.

"Jessica! We have to go!" my Aunt called from across the street and I silently cursed her for using that stupid name.

"Jessica, huh? Well it's nice to meet your acquaintance, Jessica. I'm Ace." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"It's Jesse. Not Jessica." I warned as I backed away a few steps. He raised a hand to his chin and thought for a moment.

"Nah, I think I like Jessica better." He said and I glared before turning and walking across the street towards my Aunt who was still finding shit to talk about with that woman.

"Bye Jessica!" I heard Ace call from behind me and I raised my hand to flip him off without looking back, the laughter of his friends lasting right until I had crossed back over to my aunt.

"What were you doing talking to them?" My aunt asked with wide eyes and I shrugged.

"Just some friendly chat, getting to know the kids around Castle Rock."

"On no, no. They're not the type of boys you want to associate with, I have some friends who have lovely daughters you can meet soon." She said with a smile and I gave a tight-lipped one, she didn't seem to pick up on the fact I'd rather jump of a bridge than hang around with a bunch of girly-girls.

"Great." I said sarcastically and she linked my arm to head back to the car.

* * *

"Jessica! Your uncle and I are going to my friend's house for a little get-together, would you like to join us?" My aunt said as she came into the living room and fixed her curls in front of the mirror before turning to me.

"Nah, I'm good." I answered from the sofa as I watched some random show on the television.

"But there'll be some young girls around your age you could talk to." She said, oh then try and stop me!

"Seriously Aunt Emily, I'll be fine here." I insisted and she pouted slightly before nodding.

"Alright then, your uncle and I should be back before midnight, don't stay up too late." She warned lightly and kissed my forehead.

"See ya, kiddo!" My uncle called from the hallway and I rolled my eyes.

"It's Jesse! Bye!" I said as they closed the door. I waited until their car was away before sighing a breath of relief and slumping further into the couch. I set my feet up on the coffee table and watched the show for a while before deciding I might as well do something reasonably entertaining while they're gone.

I scrubbed the make-up off my face and let my hair down, shaking out the slight wave from the ponytail and fixing it around my face. I went downstairs and managed to locate some of my old clothes in the laundry hamper where Aunt Emily must have stashed them until she could find somewhere to put them. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, grabbing my worn-out Chuck Taylors before heading upstairs. I changed into my familiar old clothes and revelled in the comfort of my favourite shoes before I remembered to grab my watch. Gotta be home by midnight, jeez you would think I was Cinderella.

The walk into town only took about twenty minutes, but I figured I should leave about ten minutes after eleven to make sure I beat my aunt and uncle home. I wandered around the town until I spotted a bar I had seen earlier, but decided to skip it and see if there was anything else worth-while to visit. I finally saw a pool hall and smiled slightly before I decided to go in, back home we had a pool hall a little bigger than this that me and my friends would hang out in, it almost felt like the same place when the familiar smell of cigarettes wafted towards me as I entered the hall. There were some small groups playing around different tables and some even stopped to stare as I came in, but I rolled my eyes and sat down on a bench, kicking my legs up beside me and basking in the comfortable atmosphere. I could almost hear my friend's laughing from when we would sit around one of the tables and joke or play a game for some small cash, no one every really bet big seeing as when I played I won almost every time. I smiled slightly to myself but it dropped as the door opened and a familiar face smiled at me.

"Well look what we have here." Ace purred as he sauntered over to where I stood, I say the other guy from this morning coming behind him with a grin, Eyeball, I think that's his nickname.

"Hello." I said politely back with a tight smile, Ace smirked and it still looked pretty damn attractive without the cigarette but one sat behind his ear, I gave him under a half an our before he was smoking that one. It was never really a habit I felt too strongly for, if someone offered me one I would take it and enjoy it, but I never really bought them on a regular basis for myself. I guess now I wouldn't even get away with it if I tried.

"Jessica, right?" Ace asked and I glowered but he didn't correct himself, "you must be lost. Not a lot of girls come in here." He said.

"Let me guess, before now you and him were the only ones?" I said as I gestured between him and Eyeball. Ace just continued to look amused as he leaned on the wall beside the bench.

"Very funny, but what are you doing here? And where's that pretty little dress you had on earlier?" he asked and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm here because I was bored and figured I would visit some of the places around here. And I hate that dress, my aunt makes me wear all these stupid outfits, I prefer jeans and t-shirts." I shrugged.

"Why don't you just tell your aunt to go fuck herself?" He asked, oh if only I could.

"Gee I hadn't thought of that, thanks for the advice." I said sarcastically.

"No problem, it's not free advice though, it'll cost you." He said with a wink and I sighed.

"What'll it cost?" May as well play along.

"One game." He said and nodded to the tables, I smirked slightly and glanced towards the tables before turning back to Ace.

"I don't think you wanna do that, I'm pretty good at pool." I said and Eyeball laughed, it was a really weird laugh, kind of like something between a cartoon-character's laugh and a hyena.

"Is that right?" Eyeball asked and I nodded, he and Ace shared a look before Ace leaned off the wall and nodded towards a table.

"Okay kid, let's see what you're made of." He said and I followed behind him to a table.

"It's Jesse, not Jessica and it sure as hell isn't kid." I said and he smiled as he got the table ready.

"Tell you what, if you win this game, I will from now on only call you Jesse." He offered and I nodded before narrowing my eyes.

"And if you win?" I said and his eyes met mine, a flash of danger going through them that had my stomach clench uncomfortably.

"If I win..." he said as he paused for thought, "You come to a party at mine tomorrow night." He said and I chuckled and was about to ask if that was it when his next words froze me, "wearing the girliest, frilliest dress you have." He said and I gulped. I had already seen the biggest horror in my closet, a pink polka-dot dress with ruffles around the neck and the cuffs of the puffy sleeves. If I lost I would avoid that one at all costs, I could always just pick a half-normal one, he would never know.

"Deal." I nodded and he handed me the cue to take the first shot, pool skills don't fail me now!

Some time later we had basically managed to stay even for the majority of the game, every time Ace pocketed a ball I wasn't too far behind and vice versa. I had only two balls left and so did he, I breathed deeply as I lined up my next shot.

"Better make this one Jesse, you don't want to have to wear that dress." Eyeball teased.

"Shut up, asshole." I muttered and Eyeball laughed his weird laugh again, throughout the whole game he had been teasing me and laughing any time I got annoyed, I was one more comment away from breaking the cue over his ass.

"Come on, we don't got all night." He complained and my eyes suddenly shot to my watch, it was half eleven!

"Shit!" I cried and set the cue down, Ace and Eyeball looked at me in bewilderment as I threw the cue down and headed for the door.

"Where you goin? You gotta finish the game!" Eyeball called and I waved vaguely as I was going out the door, I could do a rematch some other night, right now I had to get back to my aunt and uncle's.

I slammed the door shut and panted as I thanked God I reached the house in time, my victory was short-lived as I heard a car approaching and I ran up the stairs and into my room. I grabbed the dress and shoes that were on the floor and shoved them into the wardrobe before fumbling with the laces on my shoes. The door opened and quiet voices filled the hall before the stairs creaked as someone started heading up. I gave up on the second shoe and got in under the covers, facing away from the door as I lay on my side and pulled the covers up to my chin. The door opened slightly and I moved my shoulders so it looked like I was taking deep breaths, eventually the door shut again and I breathed a sigh of relief. Close-calls were not fun; I would have to be more careful if I wanted to have some fun in this town.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note:**** Here is the next chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed my last chapter and has added the story to their favourites and follows, it means a lot! A big thanks to Mrs. Ace Merrill for all the help with this chapter, I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

**Claireybear:**** I have that feeling too! : ) thanks for another awesome review!**

**Lostgirl4eva:**** It's not a problem, I'm glad you're liking it! Ha yes I love him even more as I continue to write ;) thanks for the amazing review and hope you like this chapter!**

**Cookielover:**** Thank you! Ha then she must be cool if she's like you : ) yes I'm trying to keep on top of both stories, it's going good so far! Thanks a lot for the great review, take care too and hope you like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Stand By Me, just my OCs.**

* * *

"Are you sure you wouldn't want to come with us?" My aunt asked the very next night again with her best attempt at a puppy-dog face. I really wasn't in the mood for this.

"Seriously, I'm fine here." I insisted for the tenth time as I sat at the table with a cup of tea. Richard came in and sighed.

"Jessica, it's not good for you to stay inside all day." He reasoned but I just shook my head.

"I'll go for a walk later or something around the neighbourhood. Alright?"

"Alright. Don't stay out too late, don't go too far and there is a key under the flowerpot by the front door, take that with you and don't forget to lock the door before you leave." My aunt said as she grabbed her purse.

"Sure thing, bye." I said as they headed out to the front door. When I heard the car go away I sighed in what was probably the closest I had come to being content since I got here. I would just stay in tonight and relax, that way I wouldn't have to run like a crazy person to beat my aunt and uncle home. Which I didn't really want to have to do but they would just lecture me if I told them I have a right to come home whenever I want.

I heard a car approaching and rolled my eyes as it was followed by a knock at the door a few seconds later. I slouched out to the hall to greet who I assumed would be my aunt and uncle who had come back to tell me something else, maybe they should take their own advice and use the freaking key themselves.

As I opened the door the person standing on the other side grinned at me as I stood with wide eyes.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded.

"What? I can't drop by to see sweet little Jessica when the notion strikes me?" Eyeball asked with his arms stretched out as if for a hug, he let them fall to the side as I glared at him.

"Call me _sweet little Jessica_ again and I'll kick your ass. What do you want?" I asked tiredly as I leaned against the doorframe.

"You lost the bet by forfeit. I'm here to take you to the ball, Cinderella." He smirked as he leaned an arm a little up from where my head was. I shook my head with a disbelieving snort.

"I would have won that game only I had to leave if I had a prayer of beating my aunt and uncle home. I want a rematch." I said but he shook his head with a smile.

"No rematches with Ace. Come on, time's a wasting." He said and went to move past me into the hall but my arm shot out of its own accord to block his path.

"And where exactly do you think you're going?" I asked as he turned to me with a raised eyebrow like I was supposed to let him waltz on in.

"I'm picking out a dress for you. The bet was that if you lost, which technically you did, you had to wear the frilliest and most girliest dress you had. Did you really think I'm that much of a rookie that I'm gonna let you go up there and pick out something half-normal when I just know your aunt probably bought you the perfect dress for such an occasion as this?" he asked with a sly grin.

"If my aunt knew I was picking out a dress to go to Ace's house for a party, she'd probably suffer an aneurysm." I pointed out.

"Only one way to find out." He said and poked my in the side so I jerked my arm back before striding into the hall and going upstairs. I followed him up hastily in the slim hope I might be able to get rid of that dress.

"This one?" eyeball gestured to my room door and then pushed it open before I even had a chance to confirm it. He looked around the room and burst out laughing, God I hate that laugh. It's like dragging nails across a chalkboard.

"Very nice. Very… pink." He said and I punched his arm. He went over to the wardrobe and opened it before sorting through the dresses in the wardrobe.

"Nope. Nope. God that one's awful. Why does she insist on punishing you with these dresses?" He asked and I sat on the bed with a sigh as I shrugged.

"Beats me. She's never had a girl so I guess I'm like her chance to dress me up like she wanted to with her daughter or something."

"Well her daughter would have probably looked like a snobby little princess. No offense." He leaned out to add in that last part and I chuckled.

"Ever notice how people always use the term 'no offense' when saying something offensive?" I asked.

"Oh come on, you really gonna tell me that you like wearing this?" he said as he dragged out the dress that I hated most. The polka-dot monster. He held it up against his frame and swished the bottom with a smile and I couldn't help but snigger.

"Okay, fine. I hate that one! It's awful." I admitted and he smirked.

"Then I think we've found the one. I'll let you pick your own shoes." He offered as he held the dress out and I stomped over and snatched it from him.

"You're too kind." I spat as I grabbed the white plimsolls from the wardrobe. I gagged as I held out the dress which looked even more awful out of the wardrobe. Finally I sighed in defeat and turned to Eyeball who was grinning.

"You wanna get out or do I have to throw you out?" I asked and he winked before going out onto the landing and closing the door. I waited until I heard him make his way into the bathroom before I quickly changed into the dress.

"So how long are you staying with them for?" Eyeball shouted in, I could hear him pulling out cabinets and messing around with stuff as he asked.

"A while." I answered vaguely as I pulled my hair out of the ponytail and let it fall around my shoulders.

"Don't your parents want you back at some stage?" Eyeball asked and I wracked through my brains for a suitable answer as I laced up the shoes and just decided to change the subject.

"How do I look?" I asked as I stepped onto the landing and he chuckled.

"Very nice. You'll turn heads at the party, that's for sure." Oh yay.

"Great, just what I want. Can we go?" I said and he led the way downstairs and out the door, I made sure to grab the key and lock up before setting it back down under the pot, figuring that taking it with me would just mean I'd lose it. Here goes nothing.

"So you never answered my question." Eyeball pointed out as we headed to Ace's house, which seemed like it was a good few miles from here.

"What question?" I asked innocently as I made a point of staring out at the sunset.

"When do you have to go home?" he asked, "we gotta know how much time we got to make sure you have fun." He chuckled.

"It's a long story, let's just say… I'll be here for a while." I answered and glanced at him to see him eyeing me curiously before I turned back to staring out the window.

It must have only taken us another five minutes to reach Ace's but it was getting dark soon, I guess it was safe to say my aunt and uncle would be beating me home tonight. When I climbed out of the car there were people around the front door talking, some of the guys smirked or whistled as Eyeball led me into the house.

From the moment I entered I was hit by the familiar aroma of smoke and beer, the room was warm from being packed with several people all lying around with beers and cigarettes, chatting away loudly and laughing. From time to time a group would spot me and snigger, but I hardly cared.

"Wait here and I'll go find Ace." Eyeball said and I leaned against the wall with my arms folded, waiting until I could escape. This was all too familiar to that night; I may as well have been back there. The smell and sounds were almost identical; it was just an entirely new group of people, which I actually ended up in because of that night. I was pulled out of my thoughts by someone standing beside me, too close beside me.

I turned to see a guy a few years older than me at least, judging by the look he had in his eyes and the way he leaned heavily on the wall I assumed he was drunk.

"Nice dress." He slurred and I gave a strained smile before looking away, only to feel his hand on my shoulder a second later.

"And soft." He said as he rubbed the fabric between his thumb and index finger. His hand moved slightly and he just skimmed a finger over one side of my collar bone before I smacked his hand down and stepped away from the wall.

"Don't touch me." I ordered but he just gave a sloppy smile before putting a hand on my hip and pulling me closer.

"Don't be like that, sweetheart, just tryin' to pay you a compliment." He said, his smile starting to make me want to shudder as I stepped back again only to collide with what felt like another person. Jeez they couldn't have picked a worse place to stand.

I turned to apologize to the person I had backed into when I realised I had stepped back into Ace's chest who was now glaring at the guy in front of me. I turned to see the guy's eyes flick apprehensively between Ace and I.

"Leave her alone." Ace ordered in a cold voice, his voice low and threatening but loud enough to be heard over the voices of everyone else.

"Jeez, sorry man, didn't realise she was yours." The guy said with his hands out to show he meant no harm. I was meant to correct him that I wasn't Ace's, or anybody's for that matter, when I felt Ace's arm wrap around my waist in a possessive manner as he pulled me closer to him.

"Yeah, well, she is. So beat it." He ordered with a gesture of his head for the guy to move, which he then did after giving me one last lingering glance.

"I'm yours?" I demanded with crossed arms as soon as the guy was out of earshot. Ace rolled his eyes.

"I got rid of him, didn't I?" He shot back.

"Right. Thanks." I said begrudgingly, I hated having to be defended; I'd rather handle things myself.

"So you made it?" Ace asked with a grin as he gave me a once-over.

"Yeah, even though _technically _I never lost the bet." I defended and he shook his head.

"Not my fault you got scared and ran out." I raised my eyebrows at this and took a step closer; cursing the few inches of height difference he had on me as I stared into his blue eyes defiantly.

"No way in hell was I scared, I had to leave otherwise I'd have won that game easily." I answered and he raised an eyebrow.

"Well I guess that's a challenge for another day. Right now I'm just glad you lost because that dress is very nice. And frilly." He said as he reached out for the frill on my shoulder and rubbed it between his two fingers much like the other guy had, only I didn't want to smack his hand away when he did it.

"I'm glad you approve." I answered evenly.

"Oh I do. But it might not be wise to leave you alone in that dress with all these guys around. A guy might get the impression you're an easy target." He teased.

"Nothing that a broken nose couldn't fix." I shot back and he tapped the end of my nose disapprovingly.

"Ah ah, no hitting anyone at my parties. Only I'm allowed to do that." He warned.

"Completely unfair."

"My party, my rules. I would say if you don't like it you can go, but you have to stay until I let you leave as per our agreement." He said.

"How long I stayed wasn't part of the bet. However, seeing as I'm already here and I'm not going to be home in time to escape a lecture from my aunt and uncle, the least you can do is offer me a beer." I said and he smirked.

"Coming right up. But as I said it's not wise for you to be left alone, so you'll be sticking with me, kid." He said and took my elbow before leading me off to get a beer. When I got once he led me into the living room before taking a spot on the couch, the only seat left, and I raised my arms with a shrug to say_ what about me?_ To which he answered with a grin as he patted his lap.

"I don't think so." I said and he smirked before repeating the action.

"Come on, Jesse." He said and I raised an eyebrow, this would have been a perfect opportunity to rub it in my face that he had full rights to call me Jessica, "I ain't gonna hurt ya, I don't bite." He reassured me.

"No way!" I insisted and looked around to avoid his gaze, which turned out to be a big mistake as I met the eyes of the drunken guy before, who was watching me from across the room. A shiver ran down my spine as he took a sip of beer and let his eyes trail down my figure before catching my eye and giving me a creepy smirk.

I turned back to Ace who was glaring at the guy and he turned away to look at me.

"It's the only way to make sure no creeps bother you." He warned and I gave up before sitting on his lap, not even daintily trying to lower myself down as I landed on him. He grunted slightly from the impact and shot me a half-hearted glare to which I just smiled as I took a sip of beer. I looked back to the guy who had a dark expression on his face, he sipped his beer and turned to talk to another guy and I let out a breath of relief.

For the next while I just sat on Ace's lap while he talked to various guys who seemed to worship him like he was their God or something. His hand gradually snaked around my waist again and I didn't even bother to tell him where to shove it. I looked around at all the people talking and having fun, some swaying to the music that had been put on at some point, the atmosphere seemed to make everyone want to have fun, but I just kept thinking back to that night. I had been sipping beer and trying some cigarettes, talking complete shit to my friends completely oblivious to the huge pile of shit that was about to be caused by my stupid actions.

I only just realized Ace had been talking to me when his hand squeezed my waist slightly and my head whipped up to see him eyeing me with slight amusement but mostly curiosity.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, sorry I was off in my own little world. Did you say something?" I asked and he nodded with a smirk.

"I asked why you were so tense; would it kill you to relax a little?" He asked and I shrugged in confusion.

"How exactly am I tense? I'm fine." I insisted but he raised an eyebrow like he didn't believe me.

"You're practically perched on the end of my lap like you're waiting to make an escape. And you're sitting straighter than a board. Loosen up." He said and I set down my empty bottle before turning back and edging closer to him and leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Better?" I asked sarcastically and felt a slight chuckle rumble through his chest.

"Much." He said and held me tighter; I was surprised at how comfortable I felt considering he seemed like a guy most people are terrified of.

I had almost drifted off to sleep a while later, Ace's hand absently tracing circles on my arm had me relaxing too much and I almost had to fight to keep me eyes open. I straightened up and he broke away from his conversation to eye me curiously.

"You wanna leave?" He asked and I found myself shaking my head.

"Just gonna head to the bathroom and I'll be back. Where is it?" I asked and he pointed to the door that led down the hallway and I looked to see there was no light on and most of the people from the hallway earlier had ventured into the living room or kitchen, leaving the hallway free of people.

"You shouldn't go down there alone..." He warned.

"Come on, you're not going to follow me to the bathroom, are you? I'll be fine." I insisted before getting off his lap and making my way through the maze of bodies in the living room before heading down the hall.

When I got to the bathroom I twisted the knob only to find there was no give, damn someone must be in there.I stood outside the door for a few minutes tapping my foot impatiently, I was about to give up and go back to the living room when a pair of hands settled on my waist. I smiled slightly thinking it was Ace trying to scare me, when in fact it was the familiar voice from earlier that breathed in my ear.

"Miss me, sweetheart?" The guy from earlier whispered and I spun round to see the faint outline of his face from the light coming from the living room.

When he took a step closer to eliminate the space between us my instincts finally kicked in and my fist shot out to hit him but even in his drunken state he caught it easily. I gave up struggling to free my hand and brought the other one up to scratch at his face with my nails. He growled in pain as my nail scraped his cheek and left a red mark before catching my wrist and twisting it painfully, my slight yelp of pain went unheard in the hall as people went on talking, no one even realising what was happening. He used this opportunity to push me against the wall, my back smacking painfully off the wall as I struggled to kick him, hit him, shove him, anything that would work but he was much stronger than I.

"Stop struggling, you little bitch!" He growled in my ear.

"Fuck you!" I hissed and he grabbed the front of my dress and pushed me forcefully back into the wall, the back of my head hitting the wall with considerable force and for a second I saw stars before focusing again, only to find things hadn't gotten any better, sooner or later someone had to notice and try and help.

It seemed that my plea was answered when the guy was unceremoniously ripped away from me and pushed onto the floor, for a second I thought I had somehow done it before I looked up just in time to see Ace dive on top of him and start throwing punches. Soon enough I didn't know if Ace was winning or losing, the other guy might have been a few beers worse for wear but he was getting some good swings in.

I stood frozen on the spot until the glint off a switchblade was seen, then I ran to the living room. I didn't even know who it belonged to but I knew the person who owned it would cause serious damage if the fight continued.

"Eyeball!" I called as soon as I reached the door even though I didn't even know if he was in the living room, or still at the party for that matter. Sure enough he came through the door and I pointed to where Ace and the guy were on the floor and Eyeball called to someone else before he headed over and tried to dodge the punches as he grabbed Ace's arm and attempted to haul him off the guy. In the end it took three guys to separate them, the drunken guy was still trying to get to Ace even though it looked like he was beaten to a pulp. Eventually he got thrown out and Ace had shook off the ones who had been holding him back as the guy went out the door, followed by several other people who had witnessed the fight and decided that now would be a good time to ditch the party before things got worse.

I managed to make my way over to Ace who still looked like he could knock someone out, his chest was heaving and his eyes were like two blue flames. Even when I took hold of his arm I felt a pang of fear when his head whipped round to stare at my hand before going to my face.

"You alright?" He asked and I nodded before titling his head slightly.

"Yeah, but you're not. That's a nasty cut." I said as I inspected the inch-long cut on his eyebrow before going to the cut on his lip where it looked like the guy had split it. His skin looked too stretched over one cheekbone where I assumed there would be bruising, but besides that and some cuts on his knuckles he seemed okay.

"Need I ask if you have any alcohol I can use for those?" I said and he brushed my hand away with a shake of his head.

"I don't need cleaned up." He insisted but I pointed to the bathroom.

"I don't remember asking if you did, go in there and sit down. Now." I said and tried to sound as authoritative as I could, given the guy had just beaten the crap out of another guy. He raised his non-damaged eyebrow at me before I pointed again for emphasis before he rolled his eyes and went into the bathroom. I made my way through the small amount of people that had stuck around afterwards before picking up the first bottle of alcohol I could find before taking it to the bathroom. Ace was inspecting the cut on his eyebrow when I came into the bathroom.

"This is nothin', you don't have to play nurse ya know." He insisted and rather than argue I just flipped the toilet seat down and pointed to it until he sat with a sigh. I then grabbed the facecloth from the side of the sink and ran it under some cold water. I knelt down in front of Ace and cleaned the blood trickling down his face from the cut on his eyebrow, he had his eyes cast downwards and I was glad as the atmosphere was already tense enough without me having to avoid his sharp gaze.

"How did you know I was in trouble?" I asked in an effort to fill the long silence that seemed to stretch out in front of us as I cleaned the blood from his face, he shrugged as I stood up to run the facecloth under the water again.

"Just thought you were takin' a long time, was kinda wondering if I should go check on you when I noticed that asshole had disappeared. Figured it was better to be safe than sorry and then I went out and… you know the rest." He said in a non-chalant tone even though his hands had balled into fists slightly as I knelt down to clean them off.

"Thanks." I muttered as I finished and looked up to see him staring at me intently, I gave a tight smile before standing up and rinsing the facecloth out and setting it on the side of the sink. I then gathered some toilet paper and tipped the bottle of alcohol out onto it until it was covered. I knelt back down and grimaced slightly.

"This'll hurt." I warned as I slowly brought it over to the cut on his eyebrow. He didn't even react as I rubbed the cut until I was sure there wouldn't be an infection easily caught by it before I grabbed a new piece of toilet paper and started onto the one on his lip.

"Do you make a habit of getting yourself injuries like these?" I asked, as if I didn't know by how he punched that he had been in a fair amount of fights and had a lot to go around. He looked up at me in slight amusement but I kept my eyes on his cut, trying to ignore how close we both were or the fact I was touching his lips.

"Sometimes." He chuckled when I had finished, the cut looked less serious cleaned but it had swelled slightly, I guessed that one was gonna hurt for a few days.

"Well I'm glad you did, well not glad you're injured but glad you came to help." I rambled as I started onto his knuckles with some fresh toilet paper.

"No problem." He said softly and I forced myself to keep my eyes down as I cleaned each knuckle.

"Even though you did have me worried you were gonna kill the guy for a moment there." I chuckled slightly when in reality my heart was thundering the whole time the fight was being broken up, I had been convinced it would only take one swipe of a knife or one deadly blow to seriously injure him.

"He'd have deserved it." He said bitterly.

"He wasn't worth it, just some asshole." I shrugged.

"Yeah, well, who knows what he'd have done if I hadn't have been there." He said darkly and I shuddered slightly at the thought.

"Well you were, so there's no use making a big deal out of it. I'm fine." I insisted as I finished both his hands. When I finally looked up his eyes were intently studying my face and I had to fight to keep my breathing even as they stared into my eyes. Why did his eyes have to be so freaking nice?!

"You sure?" he whispered as he leaned in, I could actually feel his breath on my lips as he said this. I cleared my throat and looked down; the electricity that seemed to fill the air was seriously getting to be too much.

"Yes." I breathed in a voice that sounded weak and small, it probably sounded like I was terrified or something, but it wasn't because of the fight. It was because I was mere inches away from a guy that radiated danger, and I don't think I've ever felt so alive or excited.

He took my chin between his index finger and thumb and tilted it until my face was level with his before he pressed his lips to mine. His lips pressed against mine with barely any pressure, so gentle it seemed almost impossible Ace was kissing me like this. When I didn't pull away he pressed his lips to mine again with only a slight increase in pressure, only enough for he to be able to feel where the cut was and for the slight stubble on his face to graze against my upper lip slightly. When his lips connected with mine a third time I finally stopped remaining motionless to truly appreciate how soft his kisses were to respond slightly, a warmth spreading from where my lips met his all the way down to my toes, a blush no doubt creeping up on my cheeks as the sound of my breath hitching with audible as he deepened the kiss considerably.

"Hey Ace-"a voice startled me from the doorway and I broke away hastily to turn and see Eyeball's face somewhere between shock and mischief as he stood in the doorway.

"What do you want, Eyeball?" Ace sighed in defeat as he let his hand fall from where it had been tangled in my hair to his lap.

"Just to see how you were holding up, if I'd have known Jesse was taking such good care of you, I'd have left you to it." He shrugged with a smirk and I straightened up before smoothing down my dress and noticing a button missing from where the guy had grabbed me.

"Shit." I muttered as I folded the two sides over each other to make it look as though they were being held together before glancing between the two guys.

"Well this is awkward." Eyeball stated bluntly before sauntering back down to the living room. I looked back to Ace who had turned to me with an unreadable expression before I sighed.

"I should get back, I've probably added another two days to my punishment for staying out this late. At this rate I won't be leaving my aunt and uncle's until I'm thirty five." I said with an awkward chuckle. He nodded before standing up.

"I'll drive you back." He said and I opened my mouth to protest that I could walk, but he pointed to the door in a similar way to me ordering him into the bathroom. I glared half-heartedly as he smiled at me before going out the door with him following me out to his car.

The ride home was sufficiently awkward; I just adopted the solution of staring out the window for the second time today as the scenery of Castle Rock passed us by. When he pulled into the road of the house I tapped his arm and pointed to the curb a few feet ahead.

"Pull over there. If you drive me all the way to my house, they'll definitely know something's up." I said, the words my house still sounded weird on my tongue, but I better get used to it.

"Sure." He said and pulled over before shutting the engine off, I sat in uncomfortable silence before glancing at him with a smile before opening the door and getting out.

"Well this has been an… interesting night." I said, there really was no way to describe the series of events that took place. He chuckled slightly.

"Sure was, I'm glad you came to the party. You should lose bets more often." He said with a wink and I threw my arms up.

"I did not lose!" I insisted and he laughed at my frustration before starting the engine.

"Whatever you say, kid." He replied before doing a U-turn and driving off without looking back. I smiled to myself and grimaced as I realised what horrors I would face when I arrived home.

"Jessica!" oh God.

My aunt came running out into the hall and grabbed me in a hug, Richard followed after with a less-than-pleased expression on his face.

"Where have you been? Do you know what time it is?" he demanded, frankly, I had no clue what time it was. I smiled apologetically and starting to spin the web of lies I had been planning on the way over here.

"After you guys left I went for a walk and ended up in a field and lay down under a tree to watch the sunset, pretty soon I drifted off to sleep and the next thing you know I wake up and it's pitch black. I'm really sorry for worrying you guys." I said in as sincere a voice as I could manage, Richard and Emily shared a glance before Richard's face softened slightly and he nodded.

"Alright. Just don't let it happen again. We were very worried." Why?

"Sure." I agreed.

"Why are you wearing that dress?" My aunt asked and I tried to subtly fold the top together where the button had come off as I shrugged.

"Just wanted to wear something nice as I walked." I said and she grinned, jeez this woman was too easy to please.

"I'm glad you like it." She said happily and kissed my hair.

"Well I'm gonna go to bed and get some more sleep. Night." I said and made my escape upstairs, not even bothering to listen to their conversation as I got changed and slid into bed.

I switched my lamp off and settled down under the covers, letting my fingers touch my lips slightly which were still tingling from Ace's kiss before I closed my eyes and went to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note:**** I seriously cannot apologise enough for the delay on this chapter, this is the latest I've ever been with an update and I will not be letting it happen again, trust me. Last Friday I was in the library and had this chapter more than halfway done and then the computer logged me off with no warning and I lost everything, there were no recovery documents that I could get and I didn't have enough time to write it out again before I had to get my bus. and between the mountain of work I'm getting this week on account of mid-terms and the other fanfic I am writing needing updated, I have had no time to get this re-written before today, but I'll catch up soon and then I'll be back on track.**

**Lostgirl4eva:**** thanks for the review, glad you love the Cinderella references and the kiss : ) hope you like this next chapter!**

**Again thanks to anyone who has read the story and added it to their favourites and follows, I hope you like this chapter and pleeeaaase review!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Stand By Me, just my OCs.**

* * *

I sat in the Blue Point Diner a few days later waiting for my aunt to walk through the door, I eagerly awaited the look of disbelief mixed with horror on her face when she realised sending me by myself to the hairdresser's was a bad idea. This morning I had come down the stairs only to be told I was getting a haircut- not asked, told- and that she had already taken it upon herself to discuss styles with the woman who would cut my hair. Emily said I needed to look more mature and my hair needed to be tidy, I didn't see anything wrong with it, I had cut my hair mostly myself since I was little, just when it got too long, but she made it out like I had an auburn bale of hay on my head. When she said she was going to have to run some errands and that I was to go by myself, I decided that I wouldn't go along with it. Why was she so hell-bent on changing me? And I'm not about to change who I am to suit her, that's for sure.

So when the hairdresser told me my aunt had suggested a simple bob that just skimmed my shoulders and a fringe to bring more attention to my green eyes. I decided something a little… shorter would suit better. It wasn't only that I wanted to piss my aunt off, but I had seen a woman in a movie a few years before with really short hair and I thought it was amazing, I was always worried if I did it myself I would mess it up, but when I told the hairdresser and after she had spent ten minutes trying to persuade me to opt for something less drastic, she did a pretty good job.

The bell on the door to the diner rang, slightly drowned out by the light conversations of the people that filled the diner, and I looked up just in time to see my aunt walk in and search around for me, probably thinking I had decided to skip our lunch. I waved slightly and she looked over almost in a reflex even though she probably thought she didn't know who I was. When she realised it was me her eyes visibly widened and her jaw dropped slightly, before she seemed to right herself enough to walk over and slide into the booth across from me.

"My…" she breathed as she took in the sheer difference of my hair. It was now only about two or three inches long at the most, the layers were short but the overall haircut was still feminine enough that you wouldn't think I went to a barber for it. I liked it already, my neck wasn't constantly covered in sweat which the hair would stick to.

"Like it?" I asked with a smile, she almost seemed to not hear me until she shook her head and smiled slightly.

"It's, uh, lovely. But very short. Did you not like my idea?" She asked and I shrugged.

"Well I've always wanted short hair; I figured a fresh haircut for a fresh start." I lied; it was a mix between teaching her a lesson and getting the chance to have a much handier style to work with. The fact that I could just run my fingers through it in the morning and go was quite comforting.

"I suppose you're right." She amended and then grinned, "It reminds me of Audrey Hepburn's hair." That's the woman's name!

"Yeah, well she's so pretty and I just thought it would be a good style to try out." Jeez it's actually painful to say these things.

"Well I bet soon enough every girl in Castle Rock will want this style." She said and I smiled before rolling my eyes slightly as she looked away to grab a menu.

When we had both ordered a voice called my aunt's name from about five booths down from us, she looked only to spot one of her many friend's and said she would be back in a few minutes, like it was actually possible for her to talk to one of her friends for a few minutes.

I nodded and she headed off, I began fiddling with the salt and sugar before the bell by the door was heard and the diner was suddenly filled with loud laughter and talking. I looked up to see Ace, Eyeball and the rest of their gang in tow as they strutted into the diner, everyone seemed to turn and roll their eyes before going back to their conversations, meanwhile I slumped down in the seat and tried to make myself look as small as possible. I could do without my aunt seeing me talk to any of them, and something about Ace seeing my new hair made me suddenly self-conscious, I brushed the short layers that sat on my forehead down slightly in an attempt to cover my face, cursing when I realised they were too short to do so.

"Nice hair." A voice chuckled and I looked up to see one of the guys was grinning mockingly at me, the rest facing the counter.

"Thanks." I mumbled and hoped he would shut up, his face looked vaguely familiar from the party but I couldn't place a name to it. He had short blonde hair and was quite skinny, why can't I remember his name?

"I think it makes you look like a boy though, like if you weren't in a dress or had certain _assets_," he said with a glance down at my chest that had my eyes narrowing slightly, "I think you could pass for a guy." He laughed and some of the other guys turned around, Ace and Eyeball were talking amongst themselves and I was thankful they wouldn't be able to intervene before I could reply.

"What's your name?" I asked and he grinned before stepping over and offering his hand.

"Charlie Hogan, babe." I stared at his hand before glaring up at his face which still had the grin plastered on it.

"Well Charlie," I spat and out of the corner of my eye I saw Ace and Eyeball turn, well it's too late to go back now, "If I had a pocketful of shits I wouldn't give one about what you think. And _don't _call me babe or I'll rearrange your fucking face."

He stared at me with a mix of shock and anger as Eyeball's laugh was heard, Charlie opened his mouth to reply but Ace simply clicked his fingers and he shut up right away. Ace pointed to one of the booths behind me and Charlie immediately retreated to said booth, followed by the rest of the guys.

Eyeball winked as he passed me and I expected Ace to follow but he took my aunt's seat across from me and I glanced over his shoulder to see my aunt was still talking to her friends.

"You have him well trained." I commented as I looked back to Ace who smirked.

"Well as much as I'd have loved to see you rearrange his face, I don't take too kindly to watching a guy fight a girl."

"I could take him." I said confidently and he chuckled.

"Did anyone ever tell you, you are amazingly self-assured?" He asked lightly.

"I tell myself that very thing every day, thank you very much." I said politely and he laughed before taking the cigarette from behind his ear and lighting it before continuing after he had taken a drag.

"Nice hair, by the way." He remarked and I self-consciously shifted the layers about a bit.

"Thanks, wasn't exactly the reaction I wanted from my aunt, I was hoping she'd be more pissed off." I remarked and he raised an eyebrow.

"You did that to piss your aunt off?" He asked sceptically.

"Yep." I said and popped the 'p', he shook his head with a smile, "That and the fact I have wanted short hair. Long hair is a pain in the ass." I remarked as the waitress came over and set down my aunt's cup of coffee with her slice of cheesecake and my cupcake with tea, her long hair fell slightly over one shoulder as she glared at me.

"Thank you." I said in a falsely sweet tone as she walked away, I looked over to Ace who was holding back a chuckle as he watched the waitress walk away.

"You shouldn't have." He said as he gestured to the slice of cheesecake in front of him and I pointed the small knife I was given with my cupcake which had some icing on it because I had been in the process of cutting the cupcake into pieces, the icing made it substantially less threatening.

"Don't even think about it." I warned and he narrowed his eyes slightly.

"So, if you wanna piss your aunt off so much, why don't you come hang out with us tonight?" Ace asked and I glanced over his shoulder again to see my aunt was still talking.

"Uh I don't think so; my aunt and uncle wouldn't let me." I said and he asked me something but I was too busy craning my neck to see if my aunt looked like she was getting up, but her hand gestures told me she must be in the middle of some grand tale and that I should have a few minutes.

"What?" I asked as I looked back at Ace who sighed in annoyance.

"Did you go to a salon to get your hair cut?" He asked and enunciated each syllable like I was stupid; I rolled my eyes before nodding.

"Tell your aunt that you met a girl called Connie Palermo at the salon and got talking, she asked if you wanted to come over to hers tonight and that she would leave you home."

"Who is Connie Palermo?" I asked.

"Billy's girlfriend." He said with a nod to the table behind me where his gang sat, "She hangs out with us sometimes but she's considered a nice girl around Castle Rock, your aunt shouldn't have a problem, you don't need to worry about getting into trouble." He said in a tone that had me crossing my arms.

"I'm not worried about getting in trouble, I could just be doing without the lectures they'd give me, getting in trouble isn't a problem for me." I answered and he grinned.

"Great, because that's just what The Cobras do best." He said and I raised my eyebrows.

"The Cobras?" I asked sceptically.

"The Cobras." He said simply with no further explanation, "Pick you up at your house at eight?" He said and my eyes flicked up to see that my aunt had gotten out of the booth and was still talking, but she'd be over any second.

"Uhhhhh," I said as I glanced between her and Ace, oh what the hell, "Sure. But wait for me where you did last time ad I'll be there at eight. If my aunt and uncle see you picking me up they'll chain me to the porch." I said hurriedly and he chuckled before standing up, taking his sweet time, mind you.

"As you wish, your highness." He said mockingly before reaching over and stealing a piece of my cupcake before heading to his booth.

"Asshole!" I hissed at him and he turned with a wink before the sound of someone else settling into the booth across from me had me whipping back round to see my aunt smiling.

"Sorry about that, I hope you weren't bored waiting for me." She apologised.

"Nope, I was fine. I, uh, met this girl called Connie Palermo at the salon and she asked me to come over to her house tonight, is that alright?" I asked and she grinned.

"Oh that's nice that you made a friend! Richard can leave you round and pick you up again." She said and I shook my head quickly.

"No, no. I said I'd walk to hers because I wanna get to know my way around the place and she said her folks could leave me home. It's all been arranged." I said.

"Alright." She smiled before turning to her cheesecake and I let out a quiet sigh of relief, this wouldn't be so difficult after all.

* * *

And it wasn't, over the next few weeks I was able to get out to hang out with The Cobras quite easily, Connie and I had gotten along really well and she agreed to cover for me if my aunt and uncle were ever talking about her and I hanging out a lot. I managed to stay under their radar as I hung out with The Cobras and got to know Castle Rock pretty well. There was nothing to write home about in the town, it was quiet and plain but the guys found ways to amuse themselves, and they were nice enough to include me once some of them got the twists out of their underwear over a girl being involved when she wasn't dating one of them. I gathered quickly that dating a Cobra was the only way a girl had ever gotten in with them, but seeing as Ace seemed to like me the guys stayed loyal to their leader and gradually warmed up to me.

Ace and Eyeball were the ones I probably hung out with the most, Eyeball became slightly less annoying to the point where I could enjoy hanging out with him, but we kept up a certain amount of bickering like we were siblings, which I enjoyed seeing as I had always been an only child and it got lonely.

And Ace… well, Ace was Ace. He kept enough of a distance that we were never alone for very long without some of the gang with us, which I was thankful for because my nerves always seemed to be on overdrive when he was around. Nothing happened with us since that night at his party in the bathroom, but it didn't stop some part of me from wishing that something had.

At some point over the two weeks it came up in conversation why I was along with the gang when I wasn't dating one of them, it developed from a remark thrown in by one of the guys to a conversation I felt like I was eavesdropping on. Most of the guys thought I was alright (with the exception of Charlie who still kept a safe distance) and then the idea came up that rather than just pal along with the gang I should join it. Although at first I was a bit apprehensive, eventually I agreed, I might as well join considering I spend so much time with them.

So that was how I found myself driving Eyeball's car out a quiet road that led to one of the more rural areas of Castle Rock, hardly a house for miles. I was currently in a drag race with Vince who was driving Ace's car, the remainder of the gang divided between the two cars. I somehow managed to focus on driving the car despite Vince's multiple attempts to put me off by shooting a few snide comments my way, luckily back home one of my friends had shown me the basics of how to drive a car and Eyeball helped me brush up after I found out that my "initiation" would include having to beat one of the guys in a drag race. They decided to make it fair by pinning me against one of the guys besides Ace and Eyeball, who always seemed to win these races.

"You're falling behind and running out of road." Eyeball remarked with a teasing grin as I glanced to see tree I had to race to only about a half a mile down the road. I sped up slightly until I was neck-and-neck with Vince who seemed to realise he wasn't going to be able to go much faster to beat me, he then resorted to bumping the side of the car slightly, not enough to cause any damage to anyone's car, but enough to make me swear slightly and curse under my breath.

finally deciding if he wasn't going to play fair then I wouldn't either, I let the car slow down until I was behind his car and he swerved to overtake me and block my path, but I simply sped up until the front of Eyeball's car was beside the back of Ace's. I swerved slightly and hit the bumper of the car with enough force to throw Vince off and his car veered to the left with the tyres skidding slightly as he tried to gain control of the car.

I took this opportunity to pass him on the right and the front of my car was a few feet ahead of his as we passed the tree. I grinned and Eyeball laughed and the guys in the back patted my shoulders.

"Someone doesn't fight fair." Eyeball remarked and I shrugged.

"Guess not. What's next?" I asked and he turned to the other guys with a smile, damn I knew this wouldn't be as easy as I'd hoped.

"Pull over here." He said and gestured to the side of the road. I pulled over and the other car shot past us, along with the hoots of the other guys as they continued over the hill and disappearing into the horizon which was growing steadily darker as it moved from sunset to night time.

"Fuzzy, grab the bat." Eyeball ordered and the familiar bat the guys had been playing mailbox baseball with was handed in to the front where Eyeball proceeded to pass it to me.

"Uh what am I aiming at?" I asked as I stared out to where it looked like there was nothing to hit.

"Down the road, about a quarter of a mile, there's a farmhouse. The asshole farmer that owns it is never done giving us grief when we race out past here and he's goin' along in his little tractor. So we decided a little payback was due, and you get to be the one to deliver it. When you've hit the mailbox, you walk another quarter mile down the road to where we'll be waiting in a barn where we hang out. Don't take too long." He finished and I nodded before climbing out of the car.

"Good luck." Charlie sniggered from the back and I stuck my tongue out before closing the door. Eyeball slid in to the driver's seat and took off over the hill where Ace's car had disappeared.

I began walking down the road and being thankful I didn't wear a dress tonight, even though I didn't mind wearing them lately because Connie did which meant I felt less like an idiot, Ace had told me to wear something comfortable I wouldn't mind walking in, now I know why.

When I finally reached the farm I looked around for the mailbox that should have been towards the front of the lawn which stretched a good thirty feet from the door. Instead I found it was right up near where the door was, which meant I'd have even less chance to get away with it without him seeing me. Oh well.

I carefully climbed over the front fence and walked up through the yard which had tall grass and weeds, trying to stop my feet from getting tangled as I made my way up to the mailbox. When I finally reached it I took a few deep breaths before railing the bat to take a swing.

Then the front door opened.

He wasn't by any means a tall guy, nor did he have muscles on his muscles. He was bout forty or fifty with a balding head of hair and a shocked expression which soon turned to one of fury as he realised What I was doing, but that wasn't what had me swinging the bat as hard as I could before taking off as fast as I my legs would carry me. No, that would be the shot gun he held in his right hand, which he then proceeded to aim in my direction as I turned to run.

"Get back here you little shit!" He screamed, and the sound of a bullet being fired out of the gun had my heart leap into my throat. I know he probably wouldn't hit me; it was more of a scare tactic than anything. If it was, it was sure as hell working.

The sound of a bullet whizzing at you through the air isn't anything like what you see in movies, it's not like a loud pop or even a bang. It's a sound that sends a shock of fear so intense through your stomach you're convinced you'll die of fright before the bullet hits you. It's not a sound I'm likely to forget any time soon.

I ran through the yard, stumbling over a few weeds but getting straight back up as soon as I heard another bullet being fired and the sound of it making impact with the ground a few feet to my left.

A car pulled up at the gate and for a second I almost stopped, thinking this is probably a neighbour of the guy that was going to grab me and drag me back to the door where the farmer could press the gun to the hallow of my throat and whisper threats that would have me hyperventilating in fear. As I got closer the figure in the car which had its hood down reached out with their arm, and my body immediately flooded with relief as a familiar voice barked an order urgently.

"Get in!" Ace ordered and I grabbed his arm before jumping into the back of the car, my abdomen rolling painfully over the side of the car as I fell into the back seat, the bat I somehow managed to keep hold of clattered to the floor of the car. I ducked down in the back seat as Ace did a U-turn; I waited until the sound of the man's shouting faded into the distance before I climbed into the front seat.

Ace pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped, cutting the engine off before turning to me. I held a hand over my heart which felt like it was going to escape from my chest.

"You alright?" Ace asked and I nodded despite the tears that built up in my eyes as the shock faded away. I blinked them back angrily and shook my head; I wouldn't cry in front of Ace, I wouldn't.

"I didn't realise he had moved the mailbox. He must have done it since the last time we trashed it. I'm sorry." He muttered the last part and I turned to see his face only illuminated enough by the moonlight to see that he did look sorry.

"It's alright. I shouldn't have gone in when the mailbox was that close to his door, I was stupid." I grumbled.

"Well you probably didn't expect him to open fire on you." He reasoned and I chuckled slightly, the chuckle soon manifested into a full-blown laughing fit, probably from the remaining shock and hysteria, I finally calmed down enough to see Ace staring at me in disbelief and with a bit of apprehension, but I shook my head with a giggle.

"Sorry, I just didn't expect it. I thought I was a goner." I said and he nodded slightly.

"He probably mistook you for one of us with your clothes and short hair." I nodded in agreement before Ace sighed and started the car.

"You better get going if you're gonna make it to the barn. Wouldn't want the guys to know I had to rescue you, you might not deserve to be a Cobra in their eyes if they found out I had to save you." He said and I raised my eyebrows before grabbing the bat and getting out of the car.

"Why did you come back? Have you some weird sense that alerts you when I'm in trouble?" I asked and he stared at me for a few seconds, a blush rose in my cheeks as his eyes held mine and I couldn't look away.

"You better get going." He said finally, his voice quitter than before. Without a glance back he speeded off and I found myself staring until the car was out of view before I shook my head in an attempt to clear it before heading towards the direction of the barn.

* * *

"So he really started shooting at you?" Charlie asked for the third time since I told him, his eyes dancing with excitement. Since arriving back and telling them of my success the guys seemed a lot friendlier than before, it was nice to see, especially since Ace wasn't around so it wasn't like they were putting on a show.

"Yeah." I chuckled as Eyeball rolled my sleeve up.

"Now hold the fuck still when I do this, if you fidget I'll mess up the tattoo." He warned and I smiled before eyeing the blade he brought over, it wouldn't hurt much… hopefully.

Just as the blade made contact with my skin the sound of the barn door opening echoed through the room and we all looked over to see Ace walk in, his face lit by the lanterns they had lit around the place.

"Hey, Ace, where the hell did you get to?" Charlie asked and Ace stopped to glare at him.

"Who the fuck are you, my keeper?" Ace asked and Charlie looked down, taking another drag from his cigarette in an attempt to not anger Ace further.

"Well you disappeared with no fuckin' warning." Eyeball stated as he brought the blade back over to my arm and Ace shifted his eyes to Eyeball before they settled on me. I immediately felt on edge as I waited for him to explain what happened, and that he must have left to see where I had gotten to.

Instead, he lifted a six pack of beer which I hadn't realised was in his right hand. He set them down on the floor where the guys immediately dug in.

"Went to grab more beer. That a problem, Eyeball?" He asked.

"Nope." Eyeball replied as he continued to carve the cobra on my arm. Ace lifted one of the remaining beers from the holder and held it out to me.

"Congrats, champ." He said and I looked up to meet his eyes, my stomach turning in knots as I did so.

"Thanks." I said, hoping to put more meaning into the word so he knew I wasn;t just talking about the beer. he nodded before grabbing a beer and settling down on the floor to listen in to whatever grand tale Charlie was describing, also since I had arrived back they seemed more at ease and told me about their initiations or just general crazy stuff they did. I sat and talked or laughed throughout the rest of the night, glad I had told my aunt and uncle I was staying at Connie's so I didn't have a specific time to be home for.

For the rest of the night I simply had fun with the gang I was now a part of, being sure to avoid the intense blue gaze of Ace Merrill, the feelings that had only been on the edge of my mind about him suddenly starting to slowly bloom into something stronger, something that scared me more than any gun.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note:**** Hi, this should be me all caught up on account of me missing the update last week. Thanks to my kind reviews and anyone who reads, enjoy and please review!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Stand By Me, just my OCs.**

* * *

It was the weekend after my initiation that I found myself in Ace's house again, and I was again hiding under the excuse that I was staying at Connie's again, she and Billy were out somewhere celebrating the fact she'd went a whole month without wanting to kill him. Very sweet.

I sat amongst the mass of people strewn around the living room, my back against the same wall it had been against last time when that asshole had shown up. He wasn't here tonight; Ace had declared he had told the guy if he came within fifty feet of his house again he'd break both his arms, which I didn't doubt. Still, I didn't feel comfortable that if someone else showed up to bother me, there was little to no chance that Ace would come and rescue me, he seemed a little pre-occupied with the girl currently in his lap.

She was very pretty, with long dark hair that had me fixing at my short hair with slight insecurity, my bare neck suddenly feeling colder seeing the way hers cascaded down her back. It seemed every time I happened to look over they either had their tongues stuck down each other's throats or she was downing yet another beer while he watched in amusement. I rolled my eyes for about the tenth time since I sat down and finished my beer, twisting the bottle around until I had memorized the label, forcing myself not to look up again.

"What crawled up your ass?" A voice said beside me, Eyeball had moved from the seat he was in to sit beside me, I looked over to see his eyebrows raised expectantly, and almost reaching the brim of the Yankee cap he wore backwards.

"What?" I asked defensively, he smiled knowingly.

"Come on Jesse, what's bothering ya? Or should I ask _who's _bothering ya?" He asked with a smirk and I immediately went back to inspecting the label on my bottle.

"No one." I grumbled, I didn't think he'd hear it over the music but judging by the chuckle he had somehow caught it.

"Really? Because if looks could kill, Alice would be dead on the spot right about now."

"Who's Alice?" I asked but I already had a feeling who he meant.

"Ace's latest conquest." He said and gestured to her with his beer bottle, I made the mistake of looking over to see her laughing at something Ace had said, but the laugh even looked fake, he seemed to buy it though.

"I have nothing against the girl, don't even know her." I replied.

"But she's taken your place, right?" He asked and I shook my head.

"I'm not his girlfriend, or anything even close. He just got me to sit on his lap the last time so that creep would leave me alone."

_"Sure." _Eyeball said, drawing the word out to show just how much he believed me, "Because Ace is just that noble. Trust me, Ace doesn't do something like that because he wanted to keep you safe from some guy, if he wanted he could have walked across the room and busted that guy's face right then and there. He got you to sit on his lap because he likes you, plus you two looked quite cosy when I walked in on you in the bathroom, who knows what would have happened if I hadn't interrupted." He said with a suggestive nudge to my arm and I elbowed him in the ribs, slightly distorting the laugh he came out with.

"You are nauseating." I stated and he proceeded to belch loudly, I couldn't help it, I started giggling like crazy.

"I rest my case!" I said with a gesture to his mouth and he joined in my laughter, a few minutes later I managed to gather myself enough to wipe away the tears that skimmed just past my eyes as I laughed, once again thankful I didn't wear make-up.

When I looked up my eyes caught Ace's who was looking over with a mix of curiosity and slight… jealousy? Judging how his jaw clenched as he glanced between Eyeball and I. The small smile I sent his way -more a result of uneasiness due to how he was watching me rather than actual politeness- wasn't returned, he simply turned to Alice and pulled her lips back to his, she didn't seem to mind in the least and responded with so much enthusiasm I gagged slightly.

"Yeah, he liked me alright; I can just tell by the way he's all over _another _girl." I said sarcastically and Eyeball shook his head before taking a drink, I blinked in confusion and he looked back to me with a small smile.

"You don't get it, do you?" he asked.

"Get what?" I replied, slightly confused, what wasn't I getting?

"He's Ace Merrill, this is a guy that doesn't play by the rules of what to do when you like a girl. Sure he likes you, it's plain as fuckin' day, will he ever do anything about it? Highly doubtful. He's been known to wait until a girl has been panting after him for so long before he'll give her what she wants. Then he moves on, that's just what he does." He explained simply.

"You sound like you've watched this happen a lot." I guessed and Eyeball nodded.

"I've known Ace most of his life, I know the way the guy goes about these things, you're gonna have to be the one to chase him if you want anything to happen." I snorted in amusement.

"He'll be waiting a long fuckin' time for that one." I said confidently and Eyeball smirked.

"Well I'm glad, would hate to see you get your heart broken by him." He said and I nodded gratefully.

"Thanks, I-" I was about to tell him that there was no chance of me getting my heart broken, I rarely gave anyone the chance to break it, when Charlie called for me by the living room door.

"Be right back." I told Eyeball and stood up to go out into the hall."

"Connie's on the phone, she needs to talk to you." Charlie said and held the phone out to me when I got into the hallway.

"Hello?" I called into the phone, putting a finger in my other ear to try and drown out the sounds from the living room.

"Jesse? You gotta get home now, your uncle and aunt saw me and Billy outside the bar on our date, when they asked where you were I didn't know what to say and panicked, I told them you had headed home but they'll be there before you and know you weren't there. I'm real sorry, Jesse." She explained and I cursed under my breath, damn it.

"Thanks Connie, for covering for me anyways." I said and put the phone down after she said goodbye, I ran a hand through my short hair in frustration before I went back into the living room.

"Can you take me home?" I asked Eyeball when I reached him.

"Thought you said you were staying at Connie's?"

"My uncle saw her and Billy at the diner, he's pissed." I explained and Eyeball finished the last of his beer before getting up.

"Shit, let's go." He said and led me out of the living room, searching his pockets for his keys.

"Where are you two goin'?" Charlie asked and Ace came out of the living room looking curious as well.

"I gotta get home, my aunt and uncle know I'm not with Connie, and it's… past midnight, fuck! They're gonna wanna know where I was." I explained hastily as I threw my jacket on.

"Well we wouldn't want mommy and daddy getting angry with little Jesse, would we?" Ace asked in a falsely sweet tone and I froze. When I put my jacket on I walked over until my chest was almost touching his and stretched up on my tiptoes to meet his eyes, glaring as hard as I could.

"Shut the fuck up, you asshole." I spat, jabbing a finger into his chest for emphasis but he didn't budge, "It's not like you or that whore'll miss me anyways, goodnight." I said and turned to storm out the door with Eyeball a few feet behind.

* * *

"Thanks for leaving me home." I said, the first thing that was said since I had left Ace's house.

"Jesse?" I looked around to see Eyeball looking at me sympathetically.

"What?" I said and tried to sound less bitchy than I had been with Ace.

"Don't take anything he says personally, most of the time he just does it for fun." He said and I sighed.

"Well he wasn't being very funny tonight, goodnight Eyeball." I said and started walking up the street to where my house was, crap, a lecture is all I need right now.

I made my way up to the house, I was about five feet from the door when it was almost yanked off its hinges and Richard stood on the other side with a face like thunder.

"Where the hell have you been?" he demanded and I walked right past him. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" he shouted after me as I walked into the kitchen. Emily sat at the table looking worried, she sighed with relief when I came in.

"Where have you been? We know you weren't with Connie, why were you out so late all by yourself?" she asked in a worried tone and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm a teenager; I can go out when I want." I answered simply.

"Not until after midnight! And you weren't with Connie like you said you would be and you weren't here. We were worried sick about you!" Richard exclaimed.

"Why?" I asked, that seemed to confuse him and his eyes widened.

"Why? It's our job to protect you, we're responsible for you." he answered.

"It's not your job; it was my parents' job. And they did a pretty shit attempt at it, so I've come to realise the only person who is supposed to protect and be responsible for me is me. I don't need you two." I said and Emily sighed.

"We only want to help you, Jessica." she said and rage flowed through me like a river.

"Stop calling me that! My name is not Jessica, it's Jesse. If you really wanna help me, get my fucking name right for a start." I spat.

"Don't you dare talk to her that way. She has done nothing but be good to you since you arrived." Richard said and pointed a finger at Emily who had tears on her rosy cheeks.

"The only thing she's done since I arrived is made me feel like shit, like I'm not good enough to be part of your family. You know what? I don't want to be part of your family. Just because you two couldn't have a child of your own doesn't mean you can just swoop in and mould me into the perfect daughter when you feel like it." I said.

"We're not trying to make you perfect. We just want to make you better." Emily said.

"Why?! What is so wrong with me that every parental figure in my life makes me feel like I'm letting them down? I'm fine the way I am, I'm sick of everyone telling me I need to change."

"Well it's true. Your parents were never done dealing with your troublemaking. Little attempts to get attention that just got worse and worse as you got older. you never grew up and never learned how to behave." Richard said.

"Because nobody ever cared enough to tell me! My parents just left me alone all day, they never dealt with my troublemaking, they never dealt with me at all! No one ever helped me pick out clothes or do my hair, no one ever read me bed time stories or asked me how I was feeling, I was by myself all day and I never had to okay everything I did with anybody, why should I now?" I said, tears building up at the back of my eyes but I refused to show weakness.

"We can do that, sweetie. Just give us a chance." Emily pleaded.

"I don't want it from you. I wanted it from my parents. I just wanted my parents to give a shit about me for once, put me before what they wanted for just one day." I said, Richard reached for my arm but I pulled it back hastily.

"Jessica-" I threw my hands up and he hurriedly corrected himself, "Jesse. Your parents did care about you. They were just always busy." he said and I shook my head.

"Don't give me that crap. I don't need anyone telling me what my parents wanted. I knew very well they never wanted me, they never wanted kids, they wanted high-paying jobs and fancy college degrees and I got in the way. And they made me pay for it." I said, wiping a stray tear from my cheek.

"That's not it, Jesse. Just calm down-" Richard said and stepped closer, I shoved my hands at his chest and he staggered back.

"Don't tell me to calm down! You don't get to tell me what to do! You're not my dad; you're no one's dad. I hate you, I'm glad you two are too fucked up to have kids!" I screamed and a flash of red-hot pain whipped across my cheek.

I stumbled and whacked my head on the countertop at my side, falling to the ground as my head spun. When I finally stopped seeing two of everything I looked at Richard who was staring at his hand like he'd never seen it before. He took a step forward to try and help me up but I launched up from where I had lay in a heap on the floor and ran past him, out the door without looking back. the last thing I heard was Emily calling my name- my real name- through broken sobs as I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, no idea where I was running to, I didn't care anymore.

After sitting under some random tree for an hour I finally got up and wiped my eyes, I refused to cry. I shivered slightly as a small breeze floated over my shoulders and raised goose bumps on my arm, the cold doing little to stop the exhaustion that was starting to weigh my eyes down. I couldn't go to my aunt and uncle's tonight again; I didn't want to be near them right now. Without thinking about where I was going I just got up and started walking, my feet moving of their own accord, bringing me somewhere that deep down I must want to be.

* * *

Note to self, never let your feet decide where you go, they're evil.

I stood outside Ace's house mentally slapping myself like Richard had. Why am I here? Why the hell did I come back here? Alice could still be here with Ace, just the two of them, how incredibly awkward would that be?

I can't do this, no way. I turned around and started creeping down the porch again, I'll just walk go to Eyeball's or something, anywhere besides Ace's house.

And then the door opened. I hate it when that happens.

"Jesse?" Ace asked and I turned to see him staring curiously with a trash bag in his hand.

"Uhhh, I was just gonna leave, I don't even know why I came here." I said, it sounds crazy but right now I had no idea why after how much I was pissed off at Ace, I had come to him.

"What're you doing here? I thought Eyeball left you home, everyone's headed home." He explained.

"Yeah Eyeball left me home but I had an argument with my uncle when I got back and left again, for some reason I came here, but I don't really know why considering you were being an asshole tonight." I said, he raised an eyebrow before sighing.

"Go inside, I'll be in in a minute." He said and I opened my mouth to say I was just gonna go somewhere else but he clicked his fingers and pointed behind him.

I glared as I marched past him, I sat on the couch in the living room and waited until Ace had come back in, it seemed he had cleared out the worst of the mess so you could actually walk through the living room.

"So, you wanna talk about it?" He asked lightly as he sat down beside me, I shook my head.

"No thanks." He snorted slightly and I turned to him with raised eyebrows.

"I'm letting you stay here, the least you can do is tell me what happened." He said and I threw my arms up.

"I was perfectly happy with going somewhere else, in fact, that's exactly what I'm gonna do." I said and got up to walk out the door when he caught me by the waist and pulled my down onto his lap. I growled in annoyance and shifted off his lap.

"I'd hate to take Alice's seat." I said and he rolled his eyes.

"Will you calm the fuck down? Jesus, what's wrong with you?" I narrowed my eyes.

"What's wrong with me? How about the fact I'm stuck in some dead-end town with two people who think they can tell me what to do, who are acting like they're my fucking parents when they're not. And tonight when I came home, my uncle slapped me and now I'm in the house of some guy who kisses me one night and then sticks his tongue down another girl's throat tonight, and that's just skimming the surface, bud." I said and pushed myself completely off his lap until I sat as far away as the couch allowed. I sat staring angrily at nothing for a few seconds before looking over to see him watching me intently.

"Why don't you go back home?" He suggested and I clenched my jaw.

"Did you not hear me? Richard slapped me, like I'm going back there tonight." I said but he shook his head.

"Not there you idiot, I mean where you were before, before you moved here. Like back with your parents." He explained and I shook my head.

"I can't go back with my parents." I said simply.

"Why not? Are they forcing you to stay here in the hopes you become a good girl? Because joining The Cobras might not have been such a good idea. Or maybe they were having a rough divorce and didn't want their little princess caught in the middle whilst they decided which lucky sucker got to take her home?" He continued and I decided to go against my one rule: that I wouldn't think or talk about what happened, at least not yet.

"They're dead." I managed to say through clenched teeth, the slight ache I got in my stomach when something forced me to think about that was suddenly like a fresh slice to my abdomen.

I looked over to see Ace's jaw click together audibly and for him to look down, avoiding my gaze.

"When?" He asked, his voice strained.

"About two weeks before I came here, it was the night of my seventeenth birthday. My aunt and uncle were the only ones that could take me in, it was either I go with them or I go into foster care, I didn't really have anywhere to go since my parents didn't have a will saying the house was to be left to me so it was sold off to pay off the rest of their mortgage and cover the funerals. I was allowed to stay in my house for a while but then I had to pack up and ship out here with my aunt and uncle." I explained, deciding this was a good enough point to stop at as any; I didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"I didn't realise-" He began but I shook my head.

"I know, you couldn't have. I mean it's been barely a month and I haven't really even thought about it to be honest, never mind acted like anything had happened. So I know you would have had no idea." I reasoned and he nodded.

"If I did I wouldn't have said-"He went to continue but I cut him off, I wasn't really in the mood for talking about it.

"I know." I said with a nod and he let out a sigh of relief that I almost laughed at, you could tell he didn't apologise a lot.

For a few minutes we just sat in silence, the weight of this new information hung in the air like a bad smell.

"Well I'm kinda tired so if you would be so kind as to move I'll be getting to sleep." I said lightly, trying to lift the atmosphere. He just shook his head.

"I'm not moving, I'll crash here and you can take my bed." He said and I folded my arms.

"I'm not kicking you out of your bed." I argued.

"Well what kind of asshole would I be if I made a girl sleep on the couch?" He shot back.

"Same one you are every day." I said and he let a chuckle slip.

"I'm serious, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to be in my bed without me, I can guarantee no other girl that has slept here will have gotten that privilege."

"I bet they're so sad about that." I answered sarcastically.

"Not one bit." He said with a wink and his signature smirk, I laughed in spite of myself.

"Ace, get off the damn couch."

"Jesse, get into the damn bedroom."

"No!" I shouted and he clicked his fingers and pointed to the bedroom.

"You click those fingers at me again and I'll shove them up your ass. Move." I ordered and lay down on the couch in a small ball, if he moved I'd be able to fit perfectly.

I smiled in triumph as I felt his weight leave the couch, before a pair of arms grabbed me by the waist and hauled my off the couch.

"Ace!" I cried in surprise as he bent down so his shoulder was against my waist before standing up, effectively carrying me over his shoulder to his bedroom.

"Put me down right now or so help me!" I shouted but he just laughed as he pushed the door open to his room and clicked the light on.

"There." He said as he set me on the bed, "Isn't that better?" He asked sweetly and I narrowed my eyes.

"You're an asshole."

"Maybe so, but I'm a nice asshole that's prepared to sleep on a couch for you. Want me to tuck you in, fancy a bedtime story?" He asked as he pulled the blanket over my legs.

"No, go away, I hate you." I said childishly and he smiled at me.

"Now we both know _that's_ not true." He said confidently, "Night." He whispered and kissed my forehead, my annoyance temporarily forgotten as hip lips made contact with my skin.

"Night." I said with slightly less bitterness than I wanted to as he walked to the door, pausing to look back at me for a second before closing the door.

Finally I gave in and lay down on the bed, trying to ignore the tug in my gut that made me want to go to Ace.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note:**** Here is the next chapter, thanks to everyone who read and reviewed my last chapter and added the story to their follows and favourites, it means a lot. I hope Ace doesn't seem too OOC in this chapter but I wanted him and Jesse to have a cute talk, so I hope he's not coming across as too much of a sap. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter and please review!**

**Thanks to vaguebeauty and Mrs. Ace Merrill for their wonderful reviews and to Lostgirl4eva who also always leaves awesome reviews, cannot thank you enough guys!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Stand By Me, just my OCs.**

* * *

When I woke up in the morning it took a few seconds after I had woken up before I opened my eyes. My mind ran through the events of last night like a newsreader running through the events of the last day that you missed before shuffling his papers and going on to discuss them in grave detail. During the night I had some unpleasant dreams, more like memories, of the night my parents died. The cop at the front door whose eyes filled with pity as he told me what happened, he seemed to willingly ignore the party of teenagers drinking and smoking behind me, he must have figured finding out I was newly orphaned was enough trouble for one night.

Pushing the memory back deep into my mind where it had managed to claw its way out of last night, I opened my eyes to blink as the sunlight streaming through the windows hit my eyes. For a few seconds all I saw was white until I looked down at the bed and the colours started to focus in again.

Wait a second…

Alright, I know I might be a little out of it when I'm tired, but I remember enough of the night before to remember that Ace's bed had blue sheets, not black. My eyes trailed up the black object that I was sure didn't belong here, and my eyes widened when I realised I was lying on someone's shirt.

I was lying on Ace Merrill's freaking chest.

For a few seconds I lay still as a statue in shock, trying to remember if at any point during the night I registered Ace ending up in the bed beside me. Nope, I got nothing. The anger that was building inside me was only slightly wavered when I realised how much less threatening and intimidating he looked when he was asleep, his face was more youthful and had a certain innocence about it. Surely enough he shifted slightly in his sleep and his arm which was around my shoulders tightened slightly, he sighed in his sleep and I almost wanted to lie back down and hear his steady heartbeat under my ear, but right now he had some explaining to do.

"Ace?" I tried saying it softly at first but it was like talking to a brick wall, "Ace." I said louder, patting his chest with my hand but again nothing, he only just shifted slightly.

Fuck this, I thought, before I lifted the pillow from behind my head and manoeuvred out from under his arm to sit up and grip the pillow with both hands.

"Ace!" I called loudly and swung the pillow down to hit him in the face just as his eyes flicked open slightly.

"What the fuck?!" He demanded as he grabbed the pillow, sitting up on his elbow and snatching it away before glaring at me.

"Don't _'what the fuck?!' _me, what the fuck are you doing in here?" I demanded and he groaned, rubbing his eyes before lying back down.

"Calm down, I got up in the middle of the night to take a leak and when I was coming back from the bathroom I passed by my door and heard you crying in your sleep. So I came in and was all for waking you up and when I went over and sat with you, you stopped crying and tossing about in the freaking bed and I figured you would be alright."

"Get to the part where you thought it'd be a good idea to get in next to me." I ordered.

"Hey you were the one that got me in a death grip when I was pulling the blankets back over you. I didn't wanna wake you up so… here we are." He said with a gesture to the bed and I narrowed my eyes.

"You could have just woke me up." I pointed out and he shrugged before draping an arm over his eyes.

"Well I guess I'm just that nice that I didn't want to wake you." He said sarcastically, "Oh and you're welcome, by the way." He added and I raised my eyebrows in disbelief.

"I hardly see why I should be thanking you."

"Soon as I came in beside you, you were fine; perhaps it was my strong male presence that made you feel protected." He suggested and lifted his arm to wink at me.

"Hardly, and if I calmed down after you came in, why didn't you just go back to the couch instead of staying in beside me?"

"One: I was fuckin' tired, two: it's my bed and three: you're nice and warm." He said with a smirk and I growled in annoyance.

"Douchebag." I ground out through clenched teeth and hit him on the chest; he grabbed my wrist in one hand before catching the other in his free hand and pushing me back onto the bed before sitting up to tower over me with a slightly amused glimmer in his eyes.

"Call me all the names of the day, it's fine if you're upset. But answer me this: are you upset because I heard you crying, because I got into bed beside you without your permission or…" He trailed off as he leaned in slightly to whisper the last part, "Because you're pissed that you spent the night in bed with me and you weren't awake for it?" He teased and I fought with all my strength to supress the blush threatening to creep up on my cheeks, it seemed my attempts had failed as my face flooded with heat and he smiled before releasing my wrists.

"Don't flatter yourself." I hissed before I pulled the covers up over my face to disguise the fact I was mortified that he had spent the night with me without me knowing and that he had been right about why I was pissed.

"Well after that rude awakening I'll need some coffee. You want some?" He asked and I felt his weight leave the bed.

"Sure." I said as I emerged from under the blankets after the blush left my cheeks, looking over just in time to see him walk out of the bedroom with a black t-shirt on and boxers, I looked to the ceiling and clapped my hands over my eyes.

Great, I spent the night in bed with Ace Merrill, and I wasn't even fucking conscious for it.

"Thanks." I said with a slight grudge as I sat down at the table where Ace had set a cup of coffee, he grunted in reply before sitting across from me and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Was I talking in my sleep?" I asked with slight unease, who knows what I might've said. He shook his head.

"Nah, nothing that made sense anyway, so you basically talk as much shit in your sleep as you do during the day." He joked.

"Oh ha ha."

"What were you dreaming about?" He asked and I shut my eyes, tightening them to the point that everything was black.

"Nothin'." I answered simply and he sighed.

"Your parents?" He asked and I nodded my head, I opened my eyes to see him watch me with an unreadable expression before he sighed and stood up to go searching through the cupboards.

"I haven't got much in for breakfast, wasn't exactly expecting company this morning." He said with a shrug and I snorted in amusement, that made two of us.

"It's fine, I'll get something when I go home." I replied and he turned to eye me curiously.

"You're goin' back?" He asked in slight surprise and I nodded.

"Gotta go back at some point." I said as I took a sip of coffee and he frowned slightly before walking out of the room, returning a few minutes later with trousers on and his hair fixed, I ran a hand over mine which sat up in uneven spikes.

"So when you heading back?" He asked and I stood up to cross to the sink and rinse my cup out.

"Uh, now, I guess. My aunt should be the only one home because my uncle works during the day."

"Want a lift?" He asked but I shook my head as I set the cup on the side of the sink.

"Nah, I need the walk to wake me up, thanks anyway." I replied.

"If you don't wanna stay there or if you and your uncle have another fight… Come back here." He said with slight hesitancy and I smiled from the doorway of the kitchen as he kept his eyes on his cup.

"Ace?" I asked quietly and waited till his eyes met mine, "Thanks." I said gratefully and he nodded, I turned and walked out the door feeling a lot better that I'd at least have somewhere to go if I needed an escape.

I came in through the front door of my aunt and uncle's house later and tried to close it as quietly as possible, my aunt's face came into view as she stood in the doorway, almost like she was a zookeeper trying to decide whether it was safe or not to approach the new wild animal.

"Hey." I greeted awkwardly and she smiled slightly before closing the tense distance between us and hugging me gently.

"I'm glad you're back." She said and I patted her back awkwardly.

"Yeah, uh, me too." I replied.

"I'm very sorry about last night, where did you go?" She asked and I shrugged.

"Just hung around, what time is it?" I asked, realising I hadn't checked the time before I left Ace's.

"Just a little after two, Richard will be home at five." She said as though I didn't remember and I nodded, "He feels awful about what happened, he was up half the night and wanted to go find you but I said you needed some time to yourself." She added and I smiled slightly.

"Thanks, Aunt Emily." I said and then sighed in relief that things didn't seem so bad.

"Are you hungry?" She asked and I nodded, she took my arm and led me into the kitchen.

Richard returned home at five and spent the rest of the night apologising and swearing it would never happen again, eventually I forgave him. To be honest I was just grateful that his suspicions about where I had really been when I said I was with Connie were either forgotten or he has willingly ignored them in the hopes of making up.

* * *

For the next few days I decided to play it cool and not go out a lot, luckily none of the guys stopped by the house so I assumed they didn't mind.

One night I was lying in bed when a slight tap on the window had my ears prick up. I heard nothing for a few seconds and dismissed it, but the same sound was heard a few seconds later. Curious, I switched on my lamp and went to the window and pulled the curtain back. My jaw dropped as my eyes met Ace's as he smirked from outside my second-story window. I just stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds until he pointed to the bottom of the window and I snapped out of it, pulling the window up enough to lean out.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!"I whispered loudly and Ace chuckled.

"Nice nightgown. Move." He whispered back and I stepped back to fold my arms self-consciously over the white nightgown I wore that reached just past my knees.

"Shut up. Why the hell are you climbing through my window?" I whispered as he braced himself on the window frame before sliding both legs through.

"Well I didn't think me standing in your garden saying _'Jesse, Jesse, where for art thou, Jesse?' _would sit too well with your folks." He joked and I tried not to laugh at the image, his feet landing on the floor of my room did the trick as my heart jumped slightly as I heard shuffling and the creak of a floorboard from the next room.

"Shhh!" I whispered as I grabbed his shoulders to keep him still, we stayed like that for a few tense seconds before I decided that my aunt and uncle must still be asleep, I dropped my arms and took a step back, Ace leant against the window and I raised my eyebrows.

"Are you gonna explain why you're creeping through my window at… four AM?" I asked once I had glanced at the clock, I looked back to see him give a slight shrug.

"Couldn't sleep and got bored, decided to go or a drive and ended up here, was wonderin' if you wanted to hang out." I stared in confusion for a few seconds at him before I threw my arms up and sighed.

"Fine, I'll grab some clothes and get changed, wait here." I said as I grabbed a pair of light jeans, a white tank top and a denim jacket.

I retreated to the bathroom and changed quickly, all the while asking myself why I was willing to go hang out with a guy that climbed up my window at four in the morning because he had nothing better to do. Then I remembered I'm talking about Ace Merrill and he's just full of surprises.

"I take it your aunt was the decorator?" He whispered when I came back in and I nodded.

"Yeah I sure as hell didn't do it. We're gonna have to go back out the window." I pointed out as I came back in and slipped some shoes on, he nodded before climbing back out of the window as I switched my lamp off.

"Watch your step, the roof is fuckin' tricky to walk on, I almost fell off and landed in one of these rose bushes." He warned as I slid out through the window and closed it gently, before slowly making my way across the roof that hung over the porch.

"How do we get down?" I asked just as I looked up to see Ace had disappeared, where the hell did he go?

"Pst!" He whispered and I crawled over to the edge to see him brushing off his trousers before looking up with a smirk.

"Jump." He said simply and I rolled my eyes.

"Like I didn't think of that, it's pretty high." I said as I judged the distance to the grass, wondering how I would land without breaking a leg.

"For the love of God, I'll catch you then." He said and held his arms out, I hesitated before jumping down, fighting to hold in the slight scream that threatened to break out as he caught me.

"There. Now that wasn't so scary, was it?" He said in a condescending tone and I stuck my tongue out before backing out of his grip.

"Shut up, where's your car?" I asked as I looked around.

"Down the street where I normally drop you off." He said and I nodded before setting off in that direction, he caught up easily and we walked in silence to his car parked about two minutes down the street.

"So where are we going?" I asked as I climbed over the passenger side door into the seat so I wouldn't make any noise, my efforts were ruined as he noisily opened his door and slammed it shut once he got in.

"No idea yet. What?" He asked curiously as I fixed him with a glare.

"Can you be any louder? I don't think some guys at the other end of the town heard you." I scolded and he smirked before starting the engine, revving it slightly before turning and heading down the street.

"So you came by to hang out and you have no idea where we're gonna go?" I asked and he nodded as we continued through the town.

"Pretty much. Anywhere you wanna go?" He asked and I shrugged slightly.

"How about the barn?" I suggested, thinking back to the night when I joined the Cobras, it would be one of the only hangouts we spent our time in where none of the gang lived near or that would be closed at this time.

"Sure." He agreed and turned to take the familiar road out of town.

"You wanna drop in on your old friend first?" He joked as we passed the house of the farmer who shot at me after I trashed his mailbox, I laughed slightly.

"Nah we've hung out enough this week, why do you think I haven't been out with you guys that much?" I asked and he smiled slightly before glancing at me.

"So why haven't you been out with us?" He asked as we continued up the road and I shrugged.

"Just wanted to lay low for a few days, I was planning on stopping by either tomorrow or sometime this week, didn't exactly expect to see you at my window any time soon." I answered and he chuckled before we lapsed into silence until he cut the engine and we got out and entered the barn.

"Damn it's dark." I complained as I walked into blackness, I heard the hiss of a match as Ace lit one of the lanterns around the place and set it on the ground.

"Better?" He asked as I walked over to the light and sat down beside the lantern.

"Yeah." I answered as he continued lighting the rest of them until the barn was dimly lit in all areas.

"So are you gonna tell me the real reason you came by tonight? Or are we just gonna pretend you did it to be romantic?" I asked as he sat beside me, he said nothing for a few seconds before sighing.

"My dad stopped by tonight." He answered simply.

"And that's bad because…?" I prompted and he leant back until he was resting on his elbows and started into the flame of the lantern in front of us.

"My mom's probably kicked him out over a fight or something; he got shit-faced at the bar and thought it'd be a good idea to crash at mine for the night. So he drove out to mine and woke me up hammering on my door."

"So what happened?"

"After I eventually let him in he just started talkin' shit on the couch and saying he needed a place to stay but I'm not in the mood for his bullshit. I took his keys and mine so he wouldn't go anywhere or cause trouble and just left him to it. I drove around for a while wonderin' what I would do to pass the time until I could go home and hopefully he'd have sobered up, just thought of you and decided I'd pay a visit." He answered simply.

"Do you think he'd have caused trouble if you hadn't have let him in?" I asked and he shifted slightly.

"It wasn't a risk I wanted to take, if he'd have gone somewhere else in the car and ended up wrapping it around a tree or maybe crashing into someone else I'd have felt like crap about it. So I let him in, and now I wish I hadn't."

"Sounds rough." I stated and he snorted in agreement.

"So how has your uncle been since you went back?" He asked a few minutes later, probably trying to fill the spaces of silence.

"Alright I guess, he hasn't asked me where I really was when I said I was with Connie but I decided to lie low so he wouldn't get pissed again."

"Do you think he'd hit you again?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Don't think so, he looked like he regretted it but I just wanted to get out, I've never been hit by an adult before." I admitted and he raised an eyebrow.

"Never?" He asked as though the concept was foreign to him, "Your folks never laid a hand on you?"

"My folks never really did anything." I revealed as I lay down on the floor and stared up at the rafters.

"What do you mean?" He asked and I thought for a second how to explain it.

"I mean they never really cared enough to hit me, or really do anything. It didn't matter how much trouble I'd get in or what I did, they would just ignore me. I take it your folks would hit you?"

"Not my mom, she'd never do that. My dad would have a lot when I was growin' up, but I moved out last year when I finished high school and haven't really seen him a lot since, before tonight of course. My mom must have just kicked him out like she used to, he would have normally just slept rough or stayed at his friend's but I suppose tonight he figured he'd see how his beloved son was doin'." He joked sarcastically.

"I probably sound like a drama queen complaining that my parents didn't notice me when you've obviously got it worse than I do." I said and he looked to me with a shake of his head.

"Nah, yours sound shit too, my folks never ignored me, not that I even made it possible to ignore me with half the shit Eyeball and I used to get up to." He said with a slight chuckle, I laughed slightly myself as I pictured him and Eyeball when they were younger, still causing as much trouble as they were today.

"I bet you tore this town apart." I guessed and he nodded slightly.

"You got that right." He confirmed with a smile.

"Well it may be small and there's not much to do, but it's alright." I admitted.

"Yeah, you think you'll stick around for a while?" He asked and I sighed.

"Well I have to stay here with my aunt and uncle until I'm eighteen which is like a year away but after that… I don't know, might travel."

"So you have to at least stay the year?"

"Yeah I'm not legally allowed to be on my own or some shit like that until I'm eighteen. That's what the social worker said after my parents died. I could either go into foster care or stay with relatives who'd become my legal guardians until I'm eighteen. Emily and Richard were the only ones that would take me in. But I bet they regret it now." I said with a slight laugh.

"They could do a lot worse." He said and I forced myself to keep my eyes on the ceiling.

"Thanks but I'm no holiday to take care of, that's probably why my parents didn't bother much." I guessed silence filled the air for a few seconds.

"How'd they die?" Ace asked quietly and I grimaced, but at the same time I knew he'd have asked at some stage, and for some reason he would have been the first person I wanted to tell when I got round to it.

"It was coming up to my seventeenth birthday and I asked them if we could go out for a meal or something to celebrate, we never really did anything for my birthday but this year I just wanted to do something nice. I thought they'd be all for it but they acted like I'd asked them to chop off their fuckin' arms or something. Anyway, I was waiting for them to come home so we could head out somewhere when my mom rang and said they were gonna stay late to work on some case they needed to go over, they were lawyers." I added as an afterthought before continuing, "Anyway I started getting upset because I had told them I wanted to go for a meal and my mom just told me to stop being so selfish and that they'd see me in the morning. I just got so angry when she put the phone down that I rang one of the girls I know and said I was gonna throw a party and to call everyone she knew that'd be up for it and tell them to bring drinks. So it was pretty late by the time everyone arrived and some of the neighbours were complaining about the noise we were making and people had gotten really drunk and were running around the neighbourhood just acting crazy. So eventually one of the neighbours called my parents at their office and told them if they didn't come home and get everyone to leave that they'd call the cops. So my parents were driving home and they got into a head-on collision with a drunk driver and they died." I finished before looking over to see him eyeing me sympathetically.

"Ouch." He said with a grimace and I nodded.

"Yeah, a cop came to the door a while later and told me they had died, the party was still going on so when I opened the door I thought he was here to complain about the noise or underage drinking. He just told me and walked away, I guess he thought that would've been enough for me to deal with for one night." I said, remembering the grave look in the cop's eyes as he broke the news.

"So that's how you wound up here?" Ace asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, lucky me." I joked slightly and then went back to staring at the lantern.

"Well I guess we both have our fair share of shit in our lives." Ace concluded and I laughed slightly.

"Yeah, things aren't as bad now. Still, I wish my aunt and uncle would stop being so uptight. Even though when I was little I'd have loved to have had parents like them, now I'm just that used to being able to do what I want when I want and not have to run it by someone that I hate it when suddenly I have to do that all the time. I wish I could be one of those good girls, but it's too late now I guess."

"Life's too short to live by the rules." Ace said and I looked over to see him smirk slightly, my mouth moving of its own accord to do the same.

"Amen. So now that we've shared our secrets, you wanna braid each other's hair or talk about clothes?" I asked lightly as I sat up and he laughed before doing the same.

"Neither, I'm good." Ace shifted slightly and reached to the back of his jeans for something.

''Here.'' He said quietly and I held out my hand, he put the object in my hand, upon inspection I found it was a small key.

''What's this?'' I asked, confused as I looked over but he kept his eyes on the lantern flame.

''A key, to my place, any time your aunt and uncle piss you off or you just wanna get out, you can stay at mine even if I'm not there.'' He said and I smiled slightly.

''Wow, the key to Ace Merrill's bachelor pad, I bet there's a lot of girls in Castle Rock that would give their eye teeth for this.'' I said as I turned the key in my hand, hearing his faint chuckle as I watched the light from the lantern gleam off the metal.

''Don't get too ahead of yourself; it's also so you won't wake me up at all fuckin' hours tryin' to get in. You can come join me in the bed again though, I didn't mind the cuddling.'' He teased with a grin and I shoved his shoulder before putting the key in the pocket of my jacket.

''I'm sure you didn't, but if it ever happens again which is highly unlikely, I'll make sure both of us know it's happening.''

''I look forward to it.'' He answered with a wink and I laughed before leaning my head on his shoulder.

''Thanks, Ace.'' I murmured, feeling his arm wrap around my shoulders and pull me closer.

''No problem.''

"I'd give you the key to my place too but I don't think my aunt and uncle would like it if you came swanning in." I apologised and felt his shoulder move slightly as he chuckled.

"Nah me neither, let's just say you owe me one." He offered and I nodded.

"Deal."


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note:**** Hey, here is the next chapter! I'm almost out of time in the library to get this posted so I can't go through and respond to all guest reviews and such, but just a big thank you to Mrs. Ace Merrill, vaguebeauty and Lostgirl4eva, plus thanks to anyone who reads, favourites and follows this1 Anyway enjoy and please review!**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Stand By Me, just my OCs.**

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Ace left me back early that morning and I was able to get back into bed without waking my aunt or uncle, I managed to catch an hour's sleep before my uncle woke me up. I did nothing much for the rest of the day until that evening when I said I would meet the gang at Irby's to hang out. Things were getting a little strained when it came to me going out, my aunt still smiled and told me to have fun when I said I was going to hang out with Connie, but I could tell the glances between her and my uncle meant they were having a tough time believing me lately, I just hoped they didn't catch me in the act.

I was met with a chorus of greetings as I entered Irby's, the Cobras seemed to always occupy one corner of it, the rest of the games made sure to keep their distance. Connie waved me over to sit on one of the free tables beside the one the guys were playing at.

"Hey, I was wondering when you would get here! I'm getting so bored of watching these guys suck at pool." She complained and I laughed as I jumped up beside her.

Billy turned with a smirk from a few feet away where he had heard us, "Just 'cause you couldn't be taught how to play doesn't mean it's boring, it ain't my fault you were terrible at it." He shot back and Connie stuck her tongue out.

"Well girls can't play pool for shit." Charlie added from beside Billy and I crossed my arms.

"Excuse me? I will have you know I am amazing at pool."

"Not according to Ace and Eyeball." Charlie responded and I looked to Ace and Eyeball who were smirking at me.

"I never finished that game, trust me, if I'd have stayed and finished it, I would have won." I informed them. Ace raised his eyebrows before slowly making his way around the table until he was standing directly in front of me, leaning on the pool cur he had in his right hand.

"You think so?" He said, his eyes dancing with challenge.

"Absolutely." I answered with confidence.

"Well then," he straightened up and held the cue out to me, "I think it's time we had that rematch."

About a half an hour later we were down to our last few shots, and we were once again neck and neck.

"It's a pity we didn't make a bet for this one," I said as I lined up my next shot, looking up to see Ace leaning on his pool cue at the opposite end of the table, "I could do with getting something after I win." I said as I hit the ball and successfully pocketed it.

"Damn." I heard one of the guys mutter as Ace merely smiled and took his aim for his next shot. I could vaguely hear the door opening behind me but I kept my eyes on Ace as he figured out how to take aim to pocket the ball. He looked up and caught my eye with a smirk before he glanced behind me and froze, his eyes widening slightly. I looked behind me to vaguely see a guy walking over to one of the tables and looking around, searching for someone. When he spotted our table his jaw tightened and he started to make his way over, I looked back to see Ace standing up and walking around the table to meet the guy, effectively putting himself in front of me. I peeked around his shoulder to see the guy and it was only when he came closer that I realised how similar he and Ace looked. The man's blonde hair wasn't as bright as Ace's but his blue eyes were very similar, the coldness in them evident as his gaze pierced everything he looked at. He was about Ace's height with slight more muscle.

He looked round at all of us, his eyes lingering on me for a second longer before they went back to meet Ace's gaze, he glared slightly before speaking.

"Where the fuck are my keys?" He demanded and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion for a second before it clicked, this was Ace's dad.

"I took 'em last night when you drove to my house completely shit-faced." Ace answered, I could tell by how even his voice was it was taking some effort to stay calm, maybe it was out of fear or anger, I didn't really know.

"And what exactly gave you the fuckin' right to take my keys?" His dad demanded.

"I didn't want you takin' your car out again and wrapping it around a tree, how you ever made it to my house alive, I got no fuckin' clue." Ace answered.

"Well I'm not drinkin' now, and I had to walk the whole way here to get my damn keys from some wise guy who thinks he's earned the right to decide where I can go. Gimme the keys before I kick the shit out of you in front of all your asshole friends." His dad threatened and held his hand out, Ace's hand went into his pocket before he stopped and shook his head.

"Can't do that, I know you're just gonna get drunk again and go out in the car again, I'm not dealing with your shit or bailing your ass outta jail."

"Listen to me you little shit, you don't get to tell me what to fuckin' do, and I think you'll find outta the both of us you're the one more liable to end up in jail. Don't go actin' all high and mighty to seem big in front of your pals, I could knock your ass into the middle of next week, which is exactly what I'm gonna do if you don't give me those keys right now." His dad answered, his voice rising slightly at the end and I looked to see most of the other people in the place were watching us.

"Just give him the keys, man." Eyeball said from behind us and I turned to see him looking between Ace and his dad with slight anxiety, I could tell from his reaction he had no trouble believing Ace's dad would follow through on his word.

I looked back to see Ace glancing at Eyeball before he looked back to his dad, he grabbed the keys from his pocket and was lifting them out when I grabbed him by the crook of his elbow. He looked down at me and I shook my head slightly.

"Don't do it if you think you'll regret it." I said quietly and looked back to see his dad glaring at me, I shifted closer to Ace slightly and let go of his arm. He seemed to deliberate for a few seconds before he took his hand out of his pocket with nothing in it and ran a hand through his hair.

"You're not getting' the keys, Pop. I'll drive you to the bar and take you home later." Ace offered and walked over to take his dad's arm and lead him back out of the pool hall, but his dad wrenched free of his grasp and pointed at me.

"Who the fuck is this little bitch? Why is she telling you what to do?" He asked and Ace looked to me before stepping closer to the door.

"Dad, come one, she's no one. I said I'll take you." He insisted but his dad turned to me.

"Who the hell are you to tell my son what to do? You think you got him whipped so he has to do whatever you say?" He asked and I shook my head slightly as I held my hands up.

"I wasn't telling him what to do." I replied.

"Don't lie to me, he was gonna give me the keys and then you go whisperin' in his ear and he changes his tune like that." He said with a click of his fingers and took a step closer.

"Maybe he just doesn't trust you to drive, last thing he needs is you totalling your car and taking some innocent kids down with you 'cause you were too drunk to pay attention." I shot back, suddenly picturing that maybe this was the type of guy that had killed my parents. The car they crashed into had one driver who had also died, maybe he had been drunk and just didn't spare a thought for anyone else when he got behind the wheel. Almost as soon as I said it I regretted it as Ace's dad's eyes blazed with anger and before I knew it his fist connected with the side of my face.

"Don't talk to me like that you little-" Ace's dad began and his sentence was abruptly cut off with the sound of a fist colliding with flesh again, I covered my face from where I had fallen on the floor like I expected him to have hit me again, but I didn't feel anything besides the throbbing pain in my arm where I had hit it off the table and the burn in the whole left side of my face.

When I lowered my hands from my face I saw Ace holding his dad by the collar of his t-shirt, they were both inches away from each other's faces as Ace spoke.

"You ever fucking touch her again and I'll kill you." He said in a dangerously low voice that trembled with rage, his hand shot into his pocket as he shoved his dad back a foot and he lifted the keys out and held them out to him.

"Go on ahead and get out of here then, take these and wrap your car around a tree for all I care." He said and his dad raised a hand to his nose where it looked like he'd been hit before snatching the keys out of Ace's hand.

"Keep that little bitch in line next time." His dad shot back before glaring at me, I glared back as I held my sore shoulder which already felt like there was a bruise forming, my left eye felt extremely heavy, I'd have to get some ice on it or the swelling would close it over.

Ace's dad stormed out of the bar and the door made a large bang as it shut behind him, most of the other people in the place had went back to their games quickly to make it seem like they hadn't been watching. Someone came up behind me and put their hands under my armpits to help me stand, I couldn't stop the slight yelp of pain as their fingers squeezed my sore shoulder.

"Sorry." I heard Eyeball say and I cradled my shoulder before turning to him.

"Thanks." I muttered slightly with a tremble clear in my voice as the shock from the hit wore off, my knees were shaking slightly as I raised my hand to my face and prodded the tender flesh slightly before wincing as the sparks of pain radiated across my cheekbone. It wasn't broken, I didn't think, but I had never been hit never mind had a bone broken by someone. I had only ever sprained my arm form falling out of a tree, but I suppose it wasn't much to compare to a break.

"Come on." Eyeball said as he took my arm and started leading my out of the bar.

"I'll take her." Ace said from behind us and Eyeball nodded to Ace and then to me. Ace came over and put a hand on the small of my back before ushering me out of Irby's.

When we got to the car Ace opened my door for me and helped me into the car before going around to his side and getting in, shutting the door hard before staring out through the front window, his hands were clenched around the steering wheel to the point where his knuckles were white.

I gave him a few seconds of silence before I shifted slightly.

"Ace?" I asked and his head whipped around so fast I thought he was going to suffer whiplash, "Are you alright?" I asked hesitantly and he stared at me for a few seconds.

"You're asking me if I'm alright." He said slowly and I resisted the urge to shrug to avoid upsetting my shoulder.

"Uh… Yeah?" I replied, he stared at me in bewilderment for a few seconds before glancing out around the street with his jaw clenched slightly.

"My dad is only after hitting you and knocking you down, and you're asking me if I'm alright? And you don't see how fucked up that is?" He demanded.

"Well I did piss him off and-"

"Don't make excuses for that piece of shit!" He ordered and I jumped slightly.

"Alright!" I squeaked and he took a deep breath before releasing his death grip on the steering wheel.

"I'm sorry, it's just he deserved a lot more than one lousy hit for that. He had no right to hit you, or to hit any girl for that matter, he thought he could get away with it with my mom but I proved him wrong. And I'll be damned if I let him think he can push you around." Ace spat and I nodded.

"He won't, I'll stay out of his way." I promised and he nodded before looking back at me and grimacing.

"What?" I asked and then realised my face had probably swelled more.

"That looks like it'll hurt, I'm takin' you home." He said and I shook my head.

"Don't! My aunt and uncle will wanna know what happened."

"Well unless your aunt and uncle won't suspect you staying at Connie's until your face looks normal, you're gonna have to go home at some point." Ace said and I slumped down in my seat in defeat.

"They're gonna kill me." I stated.

"I'll tell them what happened."

"Like I said, they're gonna kill me." I repeated and then we lapsed into silence as I tried to think how I would lie my way out of this one or convince Ace not to go near Richard.

"Come on." Ace said a while later as he opened my door and offered his hand. I rolled my eyes but grabbed it anyway as I climbed out of the car.

"I got hit, Ace, I'm not incapable of opening my own door." I said and he shut my door before taking my arm and walking me across the grass.

"Good to see the fall didn't damage your amazing attitude." Ace joked and I laughed slightly despite the dread that was building in my stomach as we got up to the porch.

"You can go, seriously this'll be enough of a war without you getting caught up in it." I said and Ace shook his head before leading me up the steps and over to the door.

"It was my fault you got hit, the least I can do it own up to it, besides, I ain't scared of your uncle." He said confidently as he hit the doorbell.

"I am." I whispered as Richard came out from the kitchen, he glared slightly at Ace before he caught sight of me and his expression turned furious as he opened the door.

"What the hell happened?" He demanded and I waved a hand.

"It's nothing, seriously." I insisted as he reached out to inspect my face, I flinched away and shrunk into Ace's side who squared his shoulders as his arm went around my waist.

"Jesse was hit by my dad, I can promise you it won't happen again, I wouldn't let anyone hurt her like this after tonight." Ace said and I glanced between him and Richard, Richard reached out and grabbed my arm before pulling my away from Ace, I gasped in pain as Richard's pull made a throb pulse through my shoulder.

"You can bet it won't happen again, I don't want you near her." My uncle ordered.

"With all due respect, wasn't it you who hit her only last week?" Ace asked and my uncle's jaw clenched tightly, I shook my head at Ace who caught my eyes before looking back at my uncle defiantly.

"Don't you come near this house again, Jesse, get inside." My uncle ordered but I remained frozen to the spot, "Now!" My uncle ordered and I jumped slightly, Ace took a step closer to my uncle, his blue eyes flashing with danger as he stood up to my uncle who had a few inches of height advantage over him.

"Don't talk to her like that." Ace said quietly.

"Don't tell me what to do you worthless hood." My uncle ordered and I grabbed Richard's arm.

"Ace I think it would be better if you leave." I suggested quietly and Ace looked down at me before shaking his head.

"Not until I know this asshole won't hit you again." He said and my uncle scoffed, I stepped in front of my uncle and braced my hands on Ace's chest, ignoring the pain in my arm as I did so.

"Please, leave." I begged and saw several emotions I couldn't decipher flick through Ace's eyes before he nodded.

"Fine." He answered curtly and turned to walk away without a word. I stared after him with guilt replacing fear as my uncle shut the door and I could only see Ace through the glass, he didn't once look back.

"Kitchen, now." My uncle ordered and I followed him into the kitchen to where my aunt was.

"Oh my!" Emily exclaimed as she came over to cup my face. I backed out of her grasp with a grunt of pain.

"Watch it!" I ordered and Richard dragged a chair out from the table, scraping its legs along the ground before pointing at it.

"Sit!" He ordered and I dragged my feet over to sit in the chair as he walked around the opposite side and laid his hands flat on the table as he stared me down, it vaguely reminded me of those movies where the cop interrogates the criminal until he snaps and spills the beans.

My aunt came over to me with some ice in a cloth and pressed it to the side of my face.

"Hold that there." She said quietly and I went to grab it with my left hand before wincing and lowering it slowly, instead opting for my right.

"How do you know that boy?" Richard asked quietly and I shrugged my right shoulder.

"Just from around, I saw him a few times when I was out with Connie." I lied.

"And how, might I ask, did his dad end up hitting you?" Richard asked.

"It doesn't matter." I grumbled and Richard banged his hand on the table.

"It does matter!" Richard shouted and I jumped, Emily was slowly rolling the sleeve of my shirt up.

"Don't shout, dear." Emily begged and I glared at my uncle.

"Yeah, cause you don't exactly have the right to, considering you hand out your fair amounts of hits too." I shot at Richard and he sighed.

"That was an accident." He said quietly and I forced a laugh.

"Oh so I just walked into your fuckin' hand? You have no right to get upset about this, it was a one-time thing and Ace took me home, I've never even spoken to him without Connie around before tonight." I lied.

"What's this?" My aunt asked and I stared at her in confusion before following her gaze to my arm, which the Cobra mark was now visible on. Shit.

"Nothing." I said and tried to wriggle out of her grasp but Richard grabbed my arm as he walked around the table.

"What is this?!" He demanded as I tried to get out of his grasp, his grip made my arm sting painfully.

"Let me go!" I screamed and he dropped my arm before nodding in realisation.

"The Cobras, that's what that gang is called, the one that boy is the leader of. You gonna tell us the truth anytime soon?" Richard demanded before he froze and his eyes narrowed, "You never really were hanging out with Connie all those times." He guessed and I stared up at him, not even trying to deny it, I was caught.

"What?" My aunt gasped and I nodded with my eyes fixed on the table.

"That's it." Richard said with finality and he walked away from the table, I followed him out to the hall as he went over to the table.

"What do you mean?" I asked as he started rifling through papers on the table in the hall.

"I'm calling your social worker and you're going to whatever foster home is furthest away from that gang and that worthless hood." My uncle said and I gaped in shock before turning to my aunt who had a similar expression.

"Richard, we can't-" My aunt began but Richard cut her off.

"We can and we will. I'm not having some teenager living in my house who thinks it's alright to lie to us and pal around with a bunch of delinquents who'll end up getting her killed or locked up."

"They're not like that!" I defended.

"That's exactly what they're like, and I'm gonna make sure you never see them again." He said and I started for the door when he caught my arm and hauled me back.

"Stop it! Let me go!" I ordered as he dragged me up the stairs.

"You can stay in here until you leave!" My uncle said as he shoved me into my room, he closed the door and locked it. I banged my right fist against the door and screamed in frustration before dissolving into sobs and flopping down on the bed.

I sat on my bed until the sunset faded into night time and my aunt and uncle's fighting had quietened down to normal volume. I sighed as I realised I had fucked everything up and now I was gonna pay for it, that thinking I could have some fun in this town and no one would notice was the biggest lie I've ever told myself. I slumped down into the bed and closed my eyes to go to sleep. When I closed them all I could see was Ace when he left, for a split second he had looked hurt when I told him to go, and now I couldn't get the image out of my head.

I opened my eyes and groaned before I thought struck me, I opened the top drawer of my beside cabinet and searched around until I found what I was looking for.

Ace's key.

I grabbed my bag from the top of the wardrobe and threw all the stuff I could lift into it before looking towards my window. If I was careful I could make it out over the roof and down. I considered the stunt I'd have to go through without Ace to catch me, I shook my head and decided it was the only way I was gonna see him.

I held the key tightly in my hand and then decided it was better to be safe than sorry. I went over to a box with some jewellery my aunt had bought me, I dug out a small silver chain and took the meaningless charm off it before slipping the key on and putting the necklace around my neck.

I managed to land on my feet and not hurt myself any more, I grabbed my bag that I had thrown down before me before climbing off the edge of the roof and jumping the last few feet down to the grass, I grabbed my bag and slung it over my good shoulder before setting off into the night.

When I reached Ace's I let myself in and called his name, but it looked like he wasn't home. I went into the kitchen and opened his ice box, lifting out some ice before grabbing a dishtowel and wrapping the ice up in it. I held the ice against my cheek and sighed as the coolness started to numb the ache in my cheek.

When I had made a cup of coffee and sat down I decided to wait here until Ace came home to tell him what happened. I wasn't sure what to expect, I had grabbed some clothes so I could stay somewhere for a while, but the reality was my aunt and uncle would find me and have me carted off home soon enough, at least I could say goodbye tonight.

What would I even say? Now that I thought about it I owed Ace a lot. First he saved me from that guy at the party, then from that farmer and just today he hit his dad for hitting me. I was pretty much as far in his debt as I could get. Some part of me bickered with the other saying that if I hadn't hung out with Ace none of that stuff would have happened, whilst the other argued that I've probably had more genuine fun with Ace than I have for most of my life, even if it meant getting myself in trouble.

_Life's too short to live by the rules_, Ace's voice whispered in my head and I smiled as I remembered last night. He hadn't mentioned it when I was in Irby's, but I knew last night had meant something. I had told him things I had never told any of my other friends, and he'd told me things I bet he didn't tell every girl he met.

_So what does that mean? _I asked myself and my mind started coming up with answers before I could stop it.

Did he have feelings for me? It would take a strong friendship for him to defend me like he has or tell me the things he has, and since we've only known each other a short time, doesn't that mean I'm not just a friend to him. I was the one he came to last night, I guessed not many of the other guys were woken up in the middle of the night to hang out with Ace, did that mean I wasn't just a friend to him?

Suddenly the feelings I had been fighting to keep secret came bursting out and I found myself unexplainably giddy at the thought of Ace having feelings for me. Would I tell him I felt the same? Would I have the time?

No time like the present.

As the minutes ticked by I found myself thinking of what I would say when I talked to him, and how he would react. Would we kiss again? Before I knew it I heard a car approaching and I threw the remainder of the ice and the dish towel into the sink before patting the side of my face gently, the swelling hadn't gone up much.

My heart was thundering as I stepped over to the kitchen door that opened into the living room, my heart suddenly seemed to slow down as Ace came in and switched the light on.

"Jesse?" He asked in a dazed voice and I grinned.

"Hi." I said and he shook his head with the same dazed look.

"What're you doing here? I didn't-" Ace was cut off by the sound of giggling coming from the hall. The smile dropped off my face as someone came into the living room and looked at me curiously.

Alice.

She still looked as pretty as she had the last time I saw her, except her hair was slightly messed up and her lipstick smeared a bit, I suddenly noticed how red Ace's lips had looked.

"Hello." Alice giggled as she leaned heavily on Ace, she'd been drinking, they both had. Suddenly the familiar smell of alcohol wafted over to me.

"John, who's this?" Alice asked and my stomach clenched in embarrassment, here I was thinking I knew Ace so well, and I hadn't even thought to ask him his real name.

"John?" Alice whined as she tugged on his sleeve, but his gaze was fixed firmly on me.

Alice finally tutted in defeat before stumbling over and holding her hand out.

"I'm Alice. And you are?" She asked as she eyed me up, I did the same to her before folding my arms and ignoring her outstretched hand.

"Leaving." I answered before going back into the kitchen and grabbing my bag, my face flaring up with embarrassment. Well don't I feel like an idiot.

"Rude." I heard Alice say from the living room and I rolled my eyes.

"I'll be in the bedroom." I heard her tell Ace as she passed by him when I came back in, I resisted the urge to gag as I fixed my bag on my shoulder before walking past Ace.

"Jesse, wait!" Ace called as I went out the front door.

"Will you slow down?" He demanded as he caught up to me and grabbed my arm, I hissed in pain and he dropped his hand immediately.

"I'm sorry, I forgot." He apologised.

"Yeah, well, you seem to forget a lot of things very easily." I shot back and he raised his eyebrows.

"What's that meant to mean?" He asked and I shook my head after deciding this wasn't a good time to say anything, the slightly bleary look in his eyes told me he wouldn't remember much the next day anyway.

"Nothing." I grumbled and he sighed before running a hand through his hair.

"Look, about Alice, I ran into her at the bar after I came back from yours and-"

"I don't care." I answered, the lie sounding fake even to me.

"Doesn't seem like it." He said after he stared at me for a second.

"Well I don't, I just stopped by to… never mind." I said and turned to walk again.

"Wait!" He called again and I turned back, my resolve wavering slightly as his eyes held mine, a voice coming from the front door had me snapping back to my senses.

"John! Hurry up! I don't like waiting." Alice complained and Ace glanced at her before going back to me.

"Better go before she gets tired of waiting, John." I said, suddenly when I said the name I realised how much the name suited him, and how I had wished I'd known it before so that when I called him it for the first time it wasn't in this situation.

Without waiting to see him turn away or say anything more, I turned and started walking again, and this time he didn't stop me.

No matter how much I wished he would.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: I am so very sorry for the delay on this chapter. I had a chapter written last Friday and was about to upload it but I was overall very unhappy with the chapter, it was very bitty and jumped about too much, there wasn't enough detail for my liking so I decided to leave it. That also caused me to have a bit of writer's block because I generally just lost my way with the story and how I wanted things to go, the way I was going the story wasn't going on for as long as I'd hoped and the general events planned were boring. So with the amazing help of Mrs. Ace Merrill I was able to re-organise the story into a version I was much happier with, the story is expected to be longer than before and I can say I'm very happy with it, so I hope you are too. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and added it to their favourites and follows, it means a lot!**

**Claireybear: OMG YOU'RE BACK! I HAVE MISSED YOU! Sorry the reply is very late : ( but I'm so glad you're feeling better and that you had a great welcome home party. Thanks so much about the ending to my Lost Boys fic, it means a lot! Also glad that you like this story : ) it was great hearing from you again, sending virtual hugs of happiness!**

**P.S, I would like to dedicate this chapter to Freax, a great writer who writes amazing stories that have me hooked from the opening sentence and who I've had great fun talking to, it was her birthday a few days ago and although the chapter is up a bit late to be totally on time for her birthday, I would like to dedicate it all the same! Happy Birthday : ) "G'night Michael, bombs away!"**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Stand By Me, just my OCs.**

* * *

It was early the next morning by the time I got in, I had walked around aimlessly after leaving Ace's, I figured I would be in deep trouble now so I may as well get some quiet time in before all hell broke loose. The few hours of peace helped me clear my head somewhat and get things straight.

I walked in the next morning and immediately sensed I was been waited on in the kitchen. I crept through to see my aunt and uncle sitting at the table.

"Sit down." My uncle said tiredly and I obeyed, taking the seat opposite him and Emily. They both looked like they had had little sleep and a pang of guilt rang through my chest, even as Emily smiled slightly.

"Jesse…" My uncle began but I raised a hand to interrupt him.

"Can I say something first?" I asked, at some point I had developed a speech in the early hours of the morning whilst sitting under a tree, the truth that I had to take responsibility for my actions finally hit home and I was done with lying.

My uncle nodded and I took a deep breath.

"To start with, I wanna apologise for running out last night. It wasn't right to sneak out and believe me I regretted it." I admitted and Richard nodded.

"We were up most of the night waiting; I took the day off work so we could be here when- if -you came home."

"Sorry," I said with a grimace, "Look I don't wanna lie anymore and I don't wanna leave, so I figured the best thing would be to tell you everything. I've been hanging out with the Cobras since a few days after I arrived, I sort of gave them a mouthful after they trashed your mailbox and-"

"So you didn't do it?" My uncle asked and I shook my head.

"No, but I could see after me behaving like such a brat that you would have assumed it was me. Anyway, after that I just ended up hanging out with them a lot, I would tell you I was staying at Connie's or going to hang out with Connie, when really I was hanging out with the guys. Sometimes Connie was there, sometimes she wasn't. I've been a part of the gang for a while now and I was hanging out with them last night, Ace's dad came in and when I mouthed off to him, he hit me. Ace hit his father for doing it and then drove me home. In all honesty, this wasn't the best way for you to find out. And I know I've betrayed your trust and acted selfish since I've gotten here. But I don't wanna leave." I confessed, as much as I had been angry with Ace after leaving his, at some point I had realised he didn't owe me anything and we weren't a couple, so who he hooked up with was his business. Even if it made me jealous, I couldn't use that as an excuse to run.

Richard and Emily shared a glance before Richard sighed.

"Jesse, we don't want you hanging out with them. They're trouble." I shook my head as he finished and he ran a hand down his face.

"They're really not; they're actually nice when you get to know them. I know sometimes they cause trouble, but they're my friends. And I have a right to choose my own friends." I defended.

"But there are girls here around your age you could hang out with; you don't have to resort to hanging out with those boys." Emily said.

"I know, I'm hanging out with them because I like them. And I know there are girls around my age, but I like hanging out with these guys. And Connie and I really are friends, I like hanging out with her and the guys and I don't wanna leave and lose my friends again."

"Well we can't just let you go on hanging out with them; you could end up in trouble." Richard argued.

"I promise from now on you'll know where I'm going, I'll ring you if I'll be home late or I'll get one of the guys to take me home. I won't do anything illegal or kill anybody, no matter how much they ask for it." I suggested and Richard smiled slightly.

Silence hung in the air for a few seconds and Richard and Emily shared a look.

"What would your parents think if we let you do this?" Richard asked and I scoffed.

"They never really cared; I stayed out late all the time back home and hung out with people like these guys. I know how to keep safe and what not to do, I'm no rookie. Please?" I asked, thinking this speech would be a pretty big waste if this went down the toilet.

"We'll see." Richard said and I raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"We'll see… as in… I can still hang out with them?" I ventured and Richard raised a finger.

"I said we'll see. Your aunt and I talked and we don't think sending you away is a solution, but we want you to be safe. And we know by now we can't exactly tell you what to do, like you said you're not our child but we still have a responsibility to look after you. You're not allowed to stay out too late or get a ride from anyone who's drunk. I don't want you drinking or smoking or doing anything illegal. And when school starts, young lady, you get your head in the books and focus on your studies. If we get called down to the school to find out you are ditching class or anything like that, you will be locked in your room until you are thirty-five." My uncle warned and I nodded with a solemn expression, I could abide by those rules…well, some of them.

"Fine." I agreed and Emily smiled.

"And another thing, if you're ever in trouble, you come to your uncle and I immediately." Emily added and I nodded.

"Sir yes Sir." I answered and Richard smiled slightly before sighing and getting up.

"I'm making some coffee, anyone want a cup?"

"I'm gonna head up to bed, I'll be down later." I answered and he nodded, patting my head as he walked over to the counter. I smiled at my aunt before slouching upstairs.

I knew at some point my aunt and uncle would get unhappy that I was hanging out with the guys, like as soon as news spread that they were causing trouble again, I would be given orders to stay far away. And I would try, but I knew I'd end up seeing them no matter what.

I slipped under the covers, still in my dress, and sighed as my eyelids drifted shut out of exhaustion.

* * *

"Jesse? Jesse. Jeesssseeee!" I was woken some time later by someone calling my name in a sing-song voice and poking my side. I groaned as I opened my eyes and saw Connie standing over my bed.

"Hello." I greeted through a yawn and she flopped down on the bed beside me.

"Nice room." She commented and I chuckled as she surveyed it with slight amusement.

"It looks like the bedroom of a doll's house, but it does the job." I commented as I sat up and ran a hand through my hair, wincing at the throb that went through my shoulder, damn it was still sore.

"How does my eye look?" I asked and she glanced over it with a shrug.

"I've seen worse. It hasn't swelled too badly and there's just a little bruising. Nothing that some make-up won't fix." She suggested.

"Brilliant." I mumbled.

"So how are you?" She asked and I shrugged my un-damaged shoulder.

"Fine. Why?"

"Nah, just, after yesterday. How are you holding up? The guys were thinking of meeting up at Irby's in a while but we were wondering if you were gonna be there or not. Ace mentioned last night when he came back to the bar that your aunt and uncle didn't like you getting that new make-over. So I said I'd come over because I don't look like I'd harm a fly." Connie explained and I laughed, it was true, Connie had blonde curly hair and wide green eyes. She wore dressed and make-up, it was hard to believe she was dating a Cobra.

"Yeah they weren't, especially when I snuck out." I explained and stopped as her eyebrows shot up.

"You snuck out? Where did you go?" I winced slightly before taking a deep breath.

"Ace's." I answered and her eyes went wide.

"You and Ace?!" She demanded loudly and I shushed her in a panic.

"Shut up! Not like that, I just went over to see him."

"Why?"

"Because I thought last night that my aunt and uncle were gonna send me away and I guess I just wanted to thank him for what he did, but he wasn't there when I got there."

"So what did you do?"

"I let myself in with the key he gave me and-"

"He gave you a key?" She asked in disbelief and I nodded before lifting the key out from under my dress where it still hung on the chain around my neck. She inspected it before looking back up at me.

"I cannot believe you got the key to Ace's house." I shrugged casually.

"It was no big deal; he just gave it to me in case I needed to stay at his or something. Anyway, he came back and-"

"You made out on the couch?" She guessed and I laughed before hitting her arm.

"Shut up and let me finish! He came back and… he wasn't alone." I continued and her jaw dropped.

"Who?"

"Alice." I spat and Connie gasped slightly.

"That little bitch!" she cried and I shushed her again whilst trying to not giggle.

"Yeah, anyway I left after that and came home this morning."

"Are you grounded?" Connie asked and I shook my head.

"No, I don't think so." I said in a slightly surprised tone, "They never told me I was grounded. Just that they want me to be carefully and I can't lie to them anymore about hanging out with the guys." She raised her eyebrows.

"Wow." She said, sounding impressed, "Your folks took it better than mine did, my dad wanted to go after Billy with his shotgun." I laughed at the mental image before shaking my head.

"Yeah they're not happy with it but I guess they're leaving it up to me. Plus I'm not dating any of them, I'd daresay if I was it would be a whole different ball game, no way in hell would I be getting out of this house again." Connie laughed.

"Yeah, it would be very different if say… you and Ace were dating." She said with a suggestive wink and I rolled my eyes.

"Well we're not."

"Maybe you might be in the future?" She guessed and I shook my head.

"Nope." I answered and she threw her hands up.

"Oh, come on! He gives you his key and then hits his dad for hitting you, and I'll bet that's not all he's done." She said and I ducked my head slightly as I thought of all the other times Ace has stuck his neck out for me.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything." I insisted and she rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Yeah right! You think any other girls have a key to his place?" She demanded and I shook my head.

"Probably not. Anyway, I'm pretty sure he and Alice are a thing now. Nothing's happened with Ace and I since-" I rambled but clapped a hand over my mouth as Connie's opened in disbelief.

"Since what?!" She demanded and I ran a hand through my hair as I blush crept up on my cheeks.

"Since a party I went to at his a few days after I met him, we kissed, but that's all!" I confessed and she grinned.

"That's all; you're blushing like a nun! You like him!" I shook my head.

"Do not."

"Do too! You have to tell him!" She exclaimed and I shushed her again.

"I'm not going to tell him! It didn't even mean anything and he hasn't mentioned it since, I'm not going to complicate things, I like things the way they are." I said, even though it wasn't exactly the truth.

"Bullshit." She stated, "I can see it now, the way you look at him, the way he looks at you. It all makes sense! Damn this would all be so perfect if it wasn't for Alice." Connie grumbled at the end and I refrained from nodding.

"I don't know why he's going out with her." Connie continued and I wondered myself but shook my head when I realised I'm not supposed to care. After a few seconds of silent contemplation Connie hopped off my bed and went over to the wardrobe.

"What're you doing?" I asked as she began looking through my clothes.

"Finding something clean for you to wear, you're coming to Irby's."

"I don't think I'll go." I said and she looked out to me with raised eyebrows.

"I don't remember asking if you were. I'm telling you. You are not getting out of this." She said and started throwing stuff out on to my bed.

"My aunt and uncle won't like it." I sang slightly and she shrugged.

"Never stopped you before. Plus, you said they're cool with it, right?" She asked and I cursed them for being so understanding.

"Yeah, fine." I gave up and grabbed the clothes before going into the bathroom and changing.

"This is some nice make-up." Connie said in an impressed tone as I came back in from the bathroom.

"Thanks, my aunt bought it." I said as I looked to see her going through the box of stuff I always opened with caution.

"She has good taste. Sit." She commanded and I dropped into the stool beside her as she lifted out bits of make-up.

"You are not putting that on me." I stated bluntly and she smirked.

"I am. You are not going in there with a face like that."

"You're lovely."

"Thank you." She relied in the same sarcastic tone and I laughed as she stared putting some foundation on my face.

"Hold still!" she commanded, "Give it a try, I bet when I'm done Ace Merrill is going to wish he'd kissed you stupid last night." She added and I laughed before forcing my face to relax as she went on applying make-up.

* * *

"I look like a clown!" I said as we arrived at Irby's and I checked my face in the mirror, Connie had successfully sweet-talked my uncle into letting me out by promising she'd drive me home herself at a reasonable hour. She batted my hand away when I went to touch my face.

"Leave my masterpiece alone! " She ordered. I rolled my eyes and forced myself to look away from the mirror. The make-up was lovely and made me look different. My eyes seemed bigger and my cheekbones more defined, whatever Connie did it worked wonders, you could hardly see the bruise from last night. Still, my face felt weird and unfamiliar.

We got out of the car and walked into Ibry's and I froze before doing a one-eighty and heading for the door.

"No way, not if she's here." I said as soon as I spotted Alice leaning on Ace's arm as he watched Billy take a shot, I guessed he was playing pool with him.

"Oh no you don't." Connie caught my arm and pulled me back, "I did not spend all that time making you look this great for you to run out, you march over there and act like everything's normal. Because I am not going to be stuck with her all night while the guys play."

"Fine." I grumbled despite the dread building in my stomach, I swallowed as she lead me over to their table.

"Look who I found!" She announced and I ducked as the guys turned to look at me with mixed expressions, some surprised and some slightly worried. Except for Ace, whose face remained cool and calm, Alice's eyes flashed slightly with recognition and I forced a smile.

"Didn't think we'd see you here today." Eyeball said after a few seconds of awkward silence.

"Yeah, well, I needed to come down here." I answered and Ace spoke out, my stomach knotting slightly as I met his gaze.

"And why's that?" He asked and I pointed at him.

"Because you and I need to finish at least one fuckin' game." I said with a smile and some chuckles were heard as Ace stared at me for a second before nodding to Billy who handed me his cue.

"Perfect timing, I just kicked Billy's ass so I'm free to do the same to you." He said and my anxiety wavered as I relaxed at hearing the familiar teasing tone in his voice and the hint of amusement in his eyes.

"In your dreams, Merrill." I shot back and he grinned before putting more coins into the table to restart the game.

"So how did your folks take it when you came home?" Ace asked as he took his shot after I had taken the break shot as a result of winning a coin toss, I leaned on my cue beside Connie who made sure to stay on the opposite side of the table from Alice, she didn't want to make small talk with the girl any more than I did.

"Not well at first, they were pretty pissed."

"Is that why you were at Ace's?" A voice asked and I looked over to see Alice with her arms crossed and a slight smile on her face. Bitch, I thought as the rest of the guys looked to me in confusion. Ace remained focused on taking his shot but I could tell he had heard her, shit.

"Actually, I had come over to tell Ace I'd be leaving the Cobras because my aunt and uncle were gonna send me away." I explained and a chorus of complaints were heard from the guys, even Ace seemed to falter slightly as he took the shot before cursing and meeting my eyes.

"You're leaving?" He asked and I shook my head.

"I thought I was, but my aunt and uncle seemed to cool off and they've let me stay, so long as I don't get in any trouble." I explained and he nodded as I lined up my shot.

"So you still gotta keep hanging out with us in secret?" Eyeball asked from across the table and I shook my head.

"Nope. But I have some rules to abide by. No staying out too late, I have to behave and not get in any trouble, plus when school starts I'm not allowed to ditch class or cause trouble in school."

"Seems like an awful lot of rules to abide by." Alice commented lightly and I met her gaze as I prepared to take the shot.

"I never said I'd follow them." I pointed out and some hoots were heard from the guys as I took the shot and pocketed yet another ball, once again Ace and I were neck and neck, it would be pretty close again.

"Plus, someone told me life was too short to always live by the rules." I added as Ace leant down to take his shot and he caught my eye before smiling slightly as I repeated what he had told me in the barn.

"Amen to that." He quoted what I had said back and I smiled. He took his shot and pocketed another ball.

A couple of shots later and I was down to one last ball while Ace had two, he had ended up taking a split shot and swore like a sailor after it, apparently it was blamed on Alice for standing too close when he was taking his shot, I never saw it but the pantomime that played out after was quite funny.

"This is so boring." Alice complained from the other end of the table and I rolled my eyes.

"It's fun if you know how to play." I shot back as I lined up the shot, I focused solely on the last striped ball I had to pocket before I could take my chances at the 8 ball, I hoped I wouldn't have to aim for one of the sides to hit it.

"Damn, I think you might be one of the first ones in a long time to beat Ace." Eyeball interrupted just as Alice looked like she was about to deliver a snarky reply.

"I can guarantee it won't happen twice." Ace warned from behind me and I straightened up to face him.

"Well now that I'm staying we'll have plenty of time for games." I suggested and he smiled before nudging my side to get me to move, I backed off and reined in the slight tingling in my side where his fingers had brushed my hip, standing casually as I watched him successfully pocket his last ball. Now it was just the 8 ball left.

"Which pocket?" Billy asked as I weighed up my options around the table, if I didn't get the ball into the pocket I picked, Ace would definitely win.

"That one." I pointed to one near to where the ball lay, Ace snorted slightly from beside me.

"That one ain't even a challenge. Go for this one." He pointed to one at the far end of the table and I weighed up the distance with pursed lips before nodding.

"Fine." I answered before going to the best point to take the shot from, making sure to angle myself away from Alice who stood a few feet away leaning on Ace, if she fucked up this shot by "accidentally" bumping into me, I was afraid I'd "accidentally" shove the pool cue up her ass.

I took a deep breath before judging the distance I had to make and the angle I'd need to hit the ball. From where I was aiming from there was a good chance if I shot straight it would hit off the side of the pocket and it'd be game over for me and Ace would surely win. I looked to the different sides I could use before settling on one and aiming for the ideal place to have it deflect the ball into the hole. Shit, I better just get it over with. Things seemed to move in slow motion as my cue nudged the cue ball towards the eight ball. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as it hit the side of the table before rolling towards the pocket I had chosen.

It went in!

I breathed a sigh of relief which was cut short as Billy clapped me on the back, I stood up with a smile of triumph to see Connie clapping with a grin on her face at the opposite end of the table.

"Not bad." Ace commented as he came to stand beside me and I set my cue down before smiling.

"You're not gonna beat me to death with that for winning, are you?" I joked as I gestured to his cue which he set on the table before smirking at me.

"Nah, at least we got the game finished." He said and I laughed.

"Third time's a charm."

"Listen… about last night-" He started quietly but I shook my head.

"Forget it, we're good." I said, it was better to forget the whole damn thing.

"Good." He agreed and I grinned.

"Can you take me home?" Alice said as she came to stand beside Ace and latch onto him with her arm tight around his waist, she stared daggers at me but I smiled politely.

"Sure. I'll see you later?" Ace said to me as he turned to leave.

"Definitely." I said with one last glance at Alice, who glared at me with such hatred it could peel paint off the walls. I hardly cared, just because I'd never get to be with Ace like she was didn't mean I'd be giving up hanging out with him anytime soon.

"I think you just made an enemy." Connie commented as she came to stand beside me, watching Alice and Ace walk out the door together.

"Really? I thought we got along well." I joked sarcastically and she smiled before linking me.

"Drink?" She asked with a gesture to the bar and I nodded.

"Sure, I can celebrate finally finishing a game with Ace." I said with a smile and she returned it, but hers was more mischievous and knowing.

"Sweetie," she said as she leaned in, "Your game with Ace is just beginning."

* * *

**Author's note: I sincerely apologise if anyone plays pool and thinks my description of the game sucks, I have only played a few times and had to look up quite a lot of things but I'm hoping I got it right! Anyway, thanks for reading and please review!**


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